Seducing the Enemy
by Beloved1
Summary: After Usagi and Mamoru's secret identities are suddenly revealed, Tuxedo Kamen is taken and brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom. Refusing to accept his new evil role, Sailor Moon devises a plan to win Tuxedo Kamen back—she will seduce him, of course! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Seducing the Enemy**

**Chapter 1**

Sailor Moon's body hit the ground with a hard _thud_. She rolled over slowly, letting out a pained groan. She used what felt like all of her strength to push herself into a sitting position. However, she froze in her struggle when she noticed a pair of black leather boots advancing toward her. Her eyes traveled up the body that resided in those boots, and came to rest on the hard stare of the evil Prince Endymion.

The Prince loomed over her ominously, a cold sneer on his lips. Sailor Moon's heart began to race. She needed to fight back, run even, but her strength was gone. She could barely move.

"Finish her, Endymion!" Beryl commanded from her throne. She smiled evilly, reveling in the demise of Sailor Moon. The demise of Serentity.

Endymion grabbed Sailor Moon forcefully by her arms, and yanked her to her feet. Sailor Moon let out a frightened cry, and Endymion softly touched her face.

"Shhh," he whispered, his eyes empty and unfeeling. "It will all be over soon."

"Endymion, please," she whimpered.

The Prince promptly released Sailor Moon's arms only to replace them with a firm grip on her neck. She began to struggle, scratching desperately at his forearms, but Endymion only squeezed harder.

"Please stop," she croaked, eyes bulging.

Queen Beryl cackled madly as she watched.

Endymion removed one hand from her neck, and pulled out the dagger from his belt. Light reflected off its metal blade, and Sailor Moon's eyes shot toward the weapon. Her face creased in pain and sadness. This was it—she was going to die. She was going to be killed by the only man she'd ever loved. Her eyes began to well up with panicked tears.

"Endymion…" she forced out. Slow, steady tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Mamoru," she cried, just above a whisper.

Prince Endymion raised the dagger in his hand…

* * *

**Six weeks earlier…**

Usagi Tsukino bounced happily down the street, enjoying the warmth of a spring day. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and, for once, she was _not_ in detention. Now if she could only avoid a run in with a youma for the rest of the day, she'd be set! Usagi hummed to herself cheerily, swinging her book bag in front of her.

Usagi was looking forward to the weekend—hopefully one free of monsters, fighting and duty. Her stomach twisted thinking of last night's battle. She had come very close to being seriously, if not mortally injured. Usagi's cheeks became hot with anger. She was quite angry with herself. She was the leader of the Senshi, a protector of the Moon Princess. What good was she to the princess if she couldn't even protect herself? If it had not been for Tuxedo Kamen, she would probably be dead…

Her cheeks flushed again, but with something very different from anger. Tuxedo Kamen… Usagi sighed to herself thinking of his dark hair, smoky voice, and lean body. High school boys and crushes forgotten, HE was the one who consumed her thoughts at night. She wished desperately that she cold get to know him better…talk to him, kiss him…

"Heads up!" a voice called.

Usagi looked ahead to see a man on a bicycle speeding toward her. She jumped out of the way as the man sped by, her long, blonde hair blowing haphazardly in his wake. Usagi spun on her heel, her eyes chasing after the reckless rider.

"You jerk!" she screamed, throwing a fist in the air. "That creep almost ran me over," she muttered to herself as she staggered backwards down the sidewalk, still scowling at the cyclist's disappearing back.

However, her angry backward march was interrupted by a collision with a hard, warm body. Usagi stumbled forward, cheeks red with embarrassment.

* * *

Mamoru walked briskly down the street, his features firm and pensive. He shuffled the stamped envelopes in his hands, ready to be dropped at the local post office. He barely gave them a thought, though, as the mysterious princess and her Silver Crystal plagued his thoughts.

"How do I get a hold of that damn crystal?" he muttered to himself. His fists clenched in frustration, partially wrinkle his parcels.

His search was only complicated by the fact the Negaverse also wanted this crystal, and their efforts to find it were becoming more aggressive. Mamoru winced as he touched his wounded shoulder—a reminder of last night's battle and the Dark Kingdom's determination. And what about the Senshi? He'd always considered them allies, but they were also after the crystal. If it came to it, he would have to fight them for it—fight Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon…

Mamoru's thoughts shifted to the young heroine with long blonde hair, and even longer legs. She definitely…_affected_ him. She was important to him, but was she more important than the princess? His past?

Mamoru's deliberation was interrupted by a petite body crashing into his. He looked down, surprised and embarrassed that he hadn't seen her coming. He raised an eyebrow when he spotted the unmistakable hairstyle of his assailant. It was _her. _Mamoru purposely replaced the smirk on his face with a look of annoyance and cleared his throat.

"Gomen nasai!" Usagi spun around, bowing to the latest victim of her clumsiness.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it all before, Odango Atama," his snide, husky voice replied.

Usagi's blood boiled as she slowly looked up to meet the eyes of the infuriating man before her. 'Of course it's _him_!' Usagi thought to herself bitterly, her heart speeding up just a bit.

It was indeed _him_—Mamoru Chiba. He was tall and unbelievably handsome, with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes. He was also the world's biggest ass, in Usagi's opinion.

"Don't call me that, you baka! My name is Usagi!" she huffed.

Mamoru chuckled and rolled his eyes, enjoying how easy it was to get a rise out of her. Fights like this were part of the pair's daily routine. Rain or shine, they seemed to run into one another, and immediately engage in half-hearted bickering. It was familiar and comfortable for them both, though neither would ever admit it.

"Whatever," he drawled, "just watch where you're going."

"I could say the same to you!" she retorted, and Mamoru blushed slightly.

"Uh, um, well," he stammered, "I wasn't the one walking backward down a busy street!" he scolded her.

"Well, that I can explain!" she hollered, crossing her arms. "See there was this guy on a bike, and he almost ran me over, and—"

"Save it, Odango," Mamoru interrupted her, waving a hand at her excuses. "I don't have time to spend arguing with a child."

"Child? I'm seventeen!" she scowled. "What are you, like 18?" she asked as she rolled her eyes.

Mamoru straightened proudly. "I'm nineteen," he informed her, chin up.

"Wow," Usagi feigned, "your wisdom must be limitless."

"Shut up, Odango Atama!" he yelled angrily.

"DON'T call me that!" she screamed in response, standing on her tip-toes and poking an angry finger into his chest.

Mamoru snatch her hand in his own, and a spark shot through them both. Off balance, Usagi fell against his chest. She wrapped her free hand around his waist to steady herself, and the close contact with his body caused a strange sensation within her.

Mamoru held Usagi closely, temporarily frozen by the feeling of her pressed against him. He looked down and met her blue eyes, unable to decipher the emotion behind them.

Usagi felt her heart begin to race. Her breath became shallow, and her cheeks flushed. She licked her lips nervously, and Mamoru's eyes darkened, their gaze fixed upon her mouth. He began to lean in, and—_BOOM_!

A nearby car backfired, and the two jumped in response, startled by the loud noise. Coming back to reality, Usagi turned back to Mamoru and angrily pulled her hand from his. Discomfort began to spread through her, and Usagi shifted nervously from her left foot to her right.

"You know," she began, regaining her composure and narrowing her eyes at the man in front of her, "I've got better places to be than bickering on the street with a jerk like you!" she finished, pushing past him and marching down the sidewalk.

"Off to squander your allowance on milkshakes and video games at the arcade, no doubt!" he shouted at her retreating form.

Usagi continued her pace, but turn back briefly, only to stick out her tongue at Mamoru.

He watched her departing figure, long pigtails swaying in time with her hips. Suddenly, his eyes found themselves focused on her backside, and he smirked in admiration. Mamoru blinked several times, "What is wrong with me?" he questioned aloud, shaking his head. He sighed, and continued his journey to the post office.

* * *

Automatic doors parted, and Usagi glided into the arcade. The cool air conditioning touched her face in a _swoosh_, gently blowing the loose strands of hair out of her face. She sighed, happy to be free of the day's irritants—namely school and a certain baka, who shall remain nameless.

"Afternoon, Usagi!" Motoki smiled from behind the counter.

"Hello!" Usagi smiled wide as Motoki placed an automatic chocolate milkshake on the counter top. "Thanks! I famished," she sighed dramatically, grabbing the shake with animated fervor. Taking a long sip, Usagi scanned the arcade for some familiar faces. Spotting her closest friends and fellow Senshi, she made her way toward their booth.

"Hey guys," she sang as she plopped herself into the booth.

"It's about time, Usagi!" Rei complained. "I don't even need to ask what the hold up was. Detention?" she teased and stuck her tongue out.

Usagi responded with a raspberry, and Makoto rolled her eyes. "Don't start, you two!" she giggled. "Rei, you're nearly as bad as Mamoru," she scolded, waving her finger.

"Well, speak of the devil," Minako smirked as she spotted Mamoru entering the arcade.

"Huh?" Usagi dumbly questioned, and turned to look at the door behind her. Seeing Mamoru, she groaned dramatically and slumped down in her seat. "Can't I even go an hour without seeing that jerk?"

"I was just thinking the same thing about you, Odango Atama," his voice came form behind her, and she jumped in surprise.

"Don't sneak up on me creep!" she fumed. "And stop eaves dropping!"

"Oh come on, Odango," he smirked as he leaned forward over the back of her chair. "You know you can't get enough of me," he breathed in her ear, sending an unexpected tingle down her spine.

Usagi scowled and swatted at his nose. "Get out of my face!"

"Ow," Mamoru replied, frowning and rubbing his nose. "You know that could be considered assault, Odango. I'm going to report you to Motoki, and have you kicked out of here," he teased, making his way toward the counter.

Usagi yelped and trailed after him, protesting the whole way. The four girls left sitting in the booth watched the pair, taking in their daily show.

"Those two really hate each other," Makoto sighed.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Minako replied, thoughtfully, tilting her head to the left as she continued to watch the couple.

"What do you mean?" Rei asked, curious.

"Well, to be honest," Minako began, "I don't think they hate each other at all. In fact, I think they rather like one another."

"What?" Rei exclaimed. "You can't be serious. Look at them," she ordered, gesturing toward the two. Mamoru stood about four feet from the counter as he yelled at Motoki, waving his arms and complaining about the blonde. All the while Usagi had hold of one of Mamoru's legs, as she tried to pull him away from Motoki, screaming in objection.

The four girls watched in awe and embarrassment, eyebrows raised. Ami shook her head in disbelief, "Sorry, Minako, I just don't see it."

"Well," Minako continued, giggling, "maybe the 'like' part isn't so obvious, but they definitely want to jump each others' bones," she finished nodding, causing Ami to choke on her soda.

"Minako!" Ami scolded.

"What?" she asked, innocently looking at her three friends. "It's obvious. Look," she now ordered, gesturing toward the still arguing couple.

The girls again turned their attention to Usagi and Mamoru, and slow realization crept over their faces. Although the pair continued to bicker, barely a moment went by where one didn't touch the other. Whether it was a swat on the arm, a grasp of a wrist, or a finger in the chest, there was almost constant contact. At one point, Mamoru even grabbed Usagi by the waist, forcing her to face him and hear his argument. Not to mention the nearly electric tension between the two.

"I can't believe I never noticed it before," Makoto almost whispered, dumbfounded.

"See, I told you!" Minako declared, crossing her arms triumphantly.

"Well, I think Usagi and Mamoru are even less aware of this than we were," Ami concluded, resting her chin on the back if her hand, and the other girls nodded in agreement.

An evil giggle suddenly welled up from Rei, and Makoto eyed her nervously. "What are you plotting?" she questioned.

"An inquisition," she smirked. "I wanna see just how blind Usagi really is to their…_attraction._"

"What are you going to do?" Minako asked, giggling as well.

"Shh!" Ami hushed. "Here she comes!"

Usagi slid back into the booth, cheeks still red with anger. "I cannot STAND that guy!" she huffed.

"So you really dislike him, huh Usagi?" Rei began.

Usagi straightened when she noticed four pairs of eyes fixed on her. "What do you mean? Of course I do! He's absolutely obnoxious!"

"Mmm-hmm," Rei continued. "You must admit that his is quite handsome, though. Sexy, even."

"What?" Usagi squealed. "THAT is something I could never admit, because it is just not true!"

"Uh-huh," Rei nodded, and leaned in closer. "Would you say that you _hate _him?"

Usagi tilted her head at the direct question. What was Rei talking about? Did she 'hate him'? Wasn't it obvious? Usagi pursed her lips as she let the question roll around in her head for a moment, a series of images coming to mind: Mamoru's smirk, the raise of his haughty chin, his teasing gaze, his hand on her waist, his muscular chest, his lips earlier today as he nearly moved in to kiss h_—'Wait a minute!_' she thought to herself, shaking her head. '_Get your mind out of the gutter, Usagi!_' she scolded herself again.

Finally turning her attention back to Rei's question, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, I, I—" she stammered in response.

"Yes?" Rei prodded.

"It's just that 'hate' is such a strong word," Usagi replied, and her friends smirked in response. Maybe Usagi wasn't so clueless after all.

"What do you mean _I'M_ causing a scene?" Mamoru's voice hollered from across the room, pulling the girls' attention away from their conversation. "_SHE'S _the one," Mamoru continued, pointing accusingly at Usagi, "who can't keep her hands to herself and wailing like a banshee!"

Usagi stood from her seat and slammed her hands on the table. "Who are you calling a 'banshee', you moron?" she growled.

"Alright, that's it!" Motoki yelled, throwing his hands up. "I'm going to have to ask you two to leave."

"Huh?" Usagi and Mamoru asked in unison, mouths agape.

"Your way too disruptive!" Motoki scolded. "It's affecting the other customers. Now, go cool off and come back when you can act your ages!" he finished wearing the scowl of a disapproving father.

Heads bowed, Usagi and Mamoru shuffled toward the exit. Once on the sidewalk, the automatic doors closed behind them, leaving the two to wallow in their shame.

Usagi sighed, and began to walk down the street. "I've never seen Motoki so upset," she mused aloud.

"I know," Mamoru replied, unaware that he was following her. "Well, maybe in the future you'll learn to control your temper better," he began to lecture.

Usagi stopped in her tracks, causing Mamoru to collide with her back. "You know," she fumed, whipping around to face him, "You have to be the biggest jerk I have EVER met!"

"Me?" Mamoru replied, bringing a hand to his chest. "YOU could be the most obnoxious person in all of Tokyo!"

Usagi, all red faced and clenched fists, spat back an insult, and Mamoru retaliated in kind. Within moments, the pair were engaged in a full-fledged verbal battle.

* * *

"So that's him?" Zoicite asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Apparently," Kunzite replied as he eyed the man curiously.

The two generals stood covertly in a dark alley, observing their target from a safe distance.

"He doesn't look like much of a threat," Zoicite snickered. "Or a prince, for that matter!"

Kunzite smirked at his partner. "Jealous, are we?"

Zoicite straightened, his face red. "No! I just don't understand why Queen Beryl is so interested in this guy," he finished crossing his arms. "I'd rather just get rid of him—he _is_ Tuxedo Kamen, after all!"

Kunzite put a hand on Zoicite's shoulder. "I know. He has been a thorn in our side, but the Queen seems to think he will be useful. We have no choice but to follow her orders."

"I know," Zoicite sighed dramatically. "What about the girl?" he asked, eying the teenager with long blonde pigtails.

Kunzite shrugged casually. "Collateral damage," he stated. "We'll just get rid of her."

"Alright," Zoicite said, straightening his uniform, "let's get this over with."

* * *

Kunzite nodded, and the two made their way toward the couple across the street.

"My hair does NOT look ridiculous!" Usagi pouted at Mamoru, touching her hair defensively. "I'll have you know I've gotten many compliments on this style!"

Mamoru laughed, "I doubt any of them have been from the opposite sex!" He eyed the girl after he made the comment, and realized his statement was probably false. Even _he_ had to admit she was quite pretty.

Usagi tried not to let the insult hurt her, but it was difficult when it was coming from such an attractive man. "Mamoru Chiba! You are pompous, and arrogant, and cruel, and…" Usagi suddenly trailed off as a familiar figure appeared nearby. She squinted her eyes, thinking she was see things or possibly hallucinating.

"And what, Odango?" Mamoru rolled his eyes. "What? Did you…" he too trailed off as an unexpected person made his way into view. Mamoru's heart instantly sped up, ready for a fight.

Usagi's eyes were focused on the sidewalk behind Mamoru as Kunzite made his way toward them, a hard and determined look on his face. '_This is bad'_, Usagi thought to herself. "Uh, Mamoru, I think you should get out of here. Now," she told her sparring partner, urgency in her voice.

Mamoru barely heard her as he watched Zoicite make his way toward them. He was wearing a cocky scowl as he came up behind Usagi.

"Usagi," Mamoru began, touching her gently on the arm, "you need to run."

"Huh?" she replied, looking at Mamoru with a furrowed brow. It was then that she noticed his gaze was fixed behind her. Usagi turned around slowly, and she was stunned to be met with the cold eyes of Zoicite.

"Don't even think about running," Kunzite commanded.

Mamoru spun toward Kunzite, and he quickly realized they were surrounded.

"What do you want?" Mamoru demanded.

"Simply to talk," Zoicite replied, a permanent smirk on his lips.

Mamoru narrowed his eyes, "I find that hard to believe."

"Well, I'm sure _some _talking will take place," Zoicite laughed evilly.

"Come with us," Kunzite commanded, grabbing Mamoru by the arm. Mamoru immediately began to struggle, and Kunzite tightened his grip. "Come with us or we will kill the girl along with every other person on this street."

Mamoru stiffened, realizing the general was probably not bluffing. "Fine," he replied, allowing Kunzite to lead him down the street.

Usagi stood frozen, and utterly confused. _'What is going on here?' _she asked herself. '_What does the Negaverse want with Mamoru?'_

Usagi let out a surprised gasp as Zoicite forcefully took hold of her arm. "You too, blondie."

"Now wait a minute!" Mamoru yelled, stopping in his tracks. "That wasn't part of the deal! Let her go!" Mamoru locked eyes with Usagi, trying to assure her with his gaze that he would protect her. Usagi stared back at him, too confused to decipher the message he was sending her.

Zoicite rolled his eyes. "I don't think so. It's always nice to have some leverage when making negotiations."

"Negotiations?" Mamoru asked.

"Enough chit-chat!" Kunzite growled in annoyance. "Let's go!"

The two generals led Usagi and Mamoru to an abandoned parking lot, conveniently shielded by several large buildings.

Zoicite threw Usagi forward, releasing her as she fell to the pavement. Her knees scraped along the ground, causing immediate injury. Mamoru ran to her side and helped her up. He looked at the blood running down her legs, and he prepared himself for Usagi's inevitable wailing. Surprised when he heard nothing, Mamoru looked at Usagi's face and was met with a hard, angry look. He furrowed his brow and wondered when she had become so brave…

"Now," Kunzite began, "let's get down to business. We have a proposition for you, Mamoru."

Mamoru crossed his arms and positioned himself in front of Usagi. "Proposition?" he asked, somewhat intrigued.

"We have a common goal, Mamoru," Zoicite continued. "You want the Silver Crystal, we want the Silver Crystal. Our chances of obtaining it become much greater if we work together."

Mamoru laughed and rolled his eyes. "Work with YOU? With the Negaverse? Please," he waved a dismissive hand. "Even if I did entertain the thought of joining your side, I am certain you would take the crystal for yourselves once we found it. I need that crystal for my own purposes."

Usagi fought the urge to gasp. _'Mamoru is looking for the silver crystal? Just WHO is he?'_

Zoicite raised an eyebrow. "You really are naïve, Mamoru. Do you even realize the power this crystal holds? It is limitless. There is enough power to fulfill your needs as well as ours."

Mamoru shifted uncomfortably. Was the crystal really that powerful? He wanted the crystal to free his princess, to find out about his past. He didn't realize it was so…dangerous.

Usagi stood back, quietly absorbing every word, every detail that was being passed between the two parties.

"Regardless," Mamoru replied, "I work alone. Besides, I don't like to share," he finished with a smirk.

Kunzite growled, his patience wearing thin, and Zoicite put his hand up to silence his partner. A slow sneer formed on Zoicite's lips, and he decided to take a new angle. "Is this about your princess?"

Both Mamoru and Usagi became wide-eyed. They knew about the princess?

Mamoru was taken aback. "How…how—" he stammered.

"Oh please," Zoicite rolled his eyes. "We are not stupid. We know a lot more than you realize, Mamoru. Or should I say, Endymion?"

Mamoru furrowed his brow, "Huh?" Who or what was Endymion? He had no idea.

Usagi on the other hand staggered a bit, a light, dizzy feeling overtaking her. _Endymion._ That name stirred something within her, but why?

Zoicite straightened, eyebrows raised. "Don't tell me you don't know," Zoicite laughed. "This is too rich!" he giggled.

"Know what?" Mamoru demanded, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Zoicite," Kunzite bellowed, giving him a stern look. "Now is not the time."

Zoicite pouted, "But—"

"No," Kunzite cut him off. "Leave the revelation of that information to the queen."

Zoicite huffed as he turned back toward Mamoru. "We've attempted to do this civilly, but you are coming with us whether you like it or not."

Mamoru took on a fighting stance. "Like hell I am!" he shouted angrily.

"There's no use in fighting, Mamoru," Kunzite told him. He then turned to Zoicite. "I'll grab Mamoru, you kill the girl," he ordered.

"Got it," Zoicite replied.

"No!" Mamoru cried as Kunzite moved to grab him. Mamoru tried to jump away, but Kunzite easily took hold of his arms, pinning Mamoru to the ground.

Mamoru wriggled and thrashed as he watched Zoicite make a bee-line for Usagi. "Usagi!" he called, eyes wide with panic.

"Mamoru!" she called back, tears filling her eyes as Kunzite crushed his body against the ground. For a moment, Usagi's gaze connected with Mamoru's and she saw genuine fear and worry in his eyes. Did he care for her so much?

Zoicite grabbed Usagi by an arm. "Sorry sweetheart, but this is the end of the line for you."

Mamoru screamed as he struggled against Kunzite, to no avail. "Usagi! No!"

Usagi's heart began to race. She knew what had to be done, secret identity be damned! She took a deep breath, her mind made up. Usagi pushed Zoicite forcefully, knocking him to the ground.

The general looked up at the young girl in shock. "What the…"

"I've had enough of this!" Usagi yelled, deciding she had been quiet long enough. All eyes went to her, and Usagi took in a shaky breath, preparing to reveal her biggest secret.

"Moon Prism Power, Make-up!" she yelled, and in an instant, flashes of light and color surrounded her. When the dust settled, Sailor Moon was standing before them, her hair blowing in the slight breeze. She was fierce and angelic-looking at the same time.

Mamoru stared at the transformed super hero. His brow furrowed as he studied her every detail—the short fuku, the red boots, the glowing tiara, the long flowing hair, the shining blue eyes…_Her _shining blue eyes.

"Usagi?" Mamoru questioned with a shaky voice.

Usagi locked eyes with Mamoru, but said nothing.

"Oh great," Zoicite sighed sarcastically. "We should've known," he continued, turning to Kunzite. "It's no surprise that Tuxedo Kamen would associate with Sailor Moon off the battlefield as well."

Sailor Moon's head whipped toward Zoicite. Had she heard him right? Tuxedo Kamen? Sailor Moon's eyebrows raised in slow realization as she looked back toward Mamoru. "Tuxedo Kamen?" she whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon whispered, staring at Mamoru as if she had never seen him before.

Mamoru, still pinned to the ground, gave her a lopsided smile.

"Well," Zoicite began as he stood up, dusting off his uniform, "no worries. Now we can get rid of Sailor Moon and capture Tuxedo Kamen at the same time."

Without hesitation, Zoicite threw a blast of energy in Sailor Moon's direction. Her reflexes on point, Sailor Moon leapt out of the way just before the blast hit her.

"Sailor Moon!" Mamoru yelled to her, still struggling to free himself from Kunzite's grip.

Sailor Moon quickly removed her tiara and whipped it through the air. The disc circled around slicing Kunzite in the arm and nearly taking off Zoicite's head.

"You bitch!" Zoicite growled.

Kunzite grabbed his injured arm, giving Mamoru an opportunity to throw the general off of him and break away. Mamoru immediately threw a rose at the general's other arm, causing him to scream out in pain, then he promptly transformed.

Tuxedo Kamen leapt into the air and landed gracefully next to Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon," he said, nodding to the girl.

"Tuxedo Kamen," she replied, a small smirk forming on her lips.

"What?" he asked of her curious expression.

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing," she laughed. "It just figures it'd be you."

Tuxedo Kamen tried to fight the smile forming on his own lips. "Ditto," he replied.

"You two don't know who you're messing with!" Kunzite snarled as he got to his feet. Zoicite was quickly by his side, and the two generals geared up for a fight.

Tuxedo Kamen took his place next to Sailor Moon, shoulder to shoulder. The pair quickly realized a major battle was about to take place.

Zoicite threw the first blow and Tuxedo and Moon quickly jumped out of its path. Kunzite quickly followed with another, and so on and so forth. Sailor Moon threw her tiara when she got a chance, as did Tuxedo Kamen with his roses, but the two rapidly realized their weapons were no match for the generals'. After dodging several attacks, Sailor Moon began to panic. How could they defeat Zoicite and Kunzite? Sailor Moon had her crescent wand, but it was for healing, not for attacking.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep this up!" Sailor Moon called to Tuxedo Kamen, out of breath.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he panted back.

Just then, Sailor Moon tripped and fell to the pavement. "Shit!" she cursed, scrambling to get up before one of the generals sent an attack her way. Unfortunately she was not fast enough, and Zoicite threw a powerful ball of energy at the struggling girl.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as Sailor Moon looked up to see the blast hurtling toward her. In her peripheral vision, she saw Tuxedo Kamen lunging toward her, and she began to scream in protest. Ignoring her cries, Tuxedo Kamen threw himself in front Sailor Moon, taking the brunt of Zoicite's attack.

As the blast connected with Tuxedo Kamen's body, Sailor Moon let out a blood-curdling scream. Every emotion built up inside her, pushing and pulling until they were released in a powerful flash of white energy. The energy exploded in every direction, hitting Zoicite and Kunzite and throwing them back several meters.

The light faded, revealing Sailor Moon sitting on the ground clutching Tuxedo Kamen's wounded body. Zoicite groggily pushed himself up and stared at the two, stunned by the amount of power that came out of this young girl. His gaze moved above the pair, where he spotted a small ball of glowing light.

Kunzite sat up, also gazing at the light. He squinted his eyes, studying the light. "What the..?" he questioned before his eyes grew wide with realization. It was not a ball of light at all, but a small glowing crystal.

"Could it be?" Zoicite gasped.

A soft light pulsated from the crystal, enveloping Sailor Moon where she sat. Sailor Moon felt its warmth overtake her, and she was flooded with a sensation that was foreign yet familiar at the same time. She felt her body begin to change and within moments, she was no longer in her sailor fuku. Rather she was wearing a flowing, white gown.

"Princess?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, voice pained and raspy.

She looked down at him and gently removed his mask. They both knew now, she was the Moon Princess. With the flowing light of the Silver Crystal came a flood of memories from another life and another time. "Mamoru…" she whispered, touching his cheek. "Endymion…"

"Serenity," he whispered back. Warmth filled him as he realized she was his princess, and he was her prince.

Zoicite stood, snarling, his eyes fixed upon the Silver Crystal. "That crystal is ours!" he shouted as he dashed toward the couple.

Princess Serenity secured her eyes on Zoicite's running form and, without even moving, discharged a flash of white power. It hit Zoicite directly, and he hit the ground with a hard _thud._

"Zoicite!" Kunzite yelled as he ran to his partner's side. He reached the fallen general only to watch the life drain from his body. "Zoicite?" he murmured.

Rage filled Kunzite, and he was fully prepared to take out his wrath on the newly revealed princess. However, he received a silent command from his queen to retrieve the prince and immediately return to the Negaverse. Hesitating not a moment, Kunzite opened a portal to the Negaverse, and threw a ball of dark energy at the princess. As she fell backward from the blast, Kunzite promptly pulled Mamoru's injured body into the open portal.

Kunzite had acted so quickly that Serenity could not stop him. "Endymion!" she cried as she watched him disappear into the black hole. "Mamoru," she whimpered, a tear running down her cheek.

The Silver Crystal dropped into Serenity's palm. A strong wind blew, and at once she transformed back into Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon remained seated on the ground, her breath shallow as she stared at the spot where Mamoru had just laid. There was a small pool of the blood on the pavement where his body had been, and Sailor Moon prayed he would be alright.

"What will the Negaverse do to him?" she questioned aloud, voice cracking. She was scared…

Sailor moon took a deep breath and took out her communicator. "Calling all Senshi. This is Sailor Moon. We need to meet at the temple. Immediately," she ordered before signing off.

* * *

After de-transforming, Usagi began the long walk to Rei's temple. She practically staggered as she did so, exhausted from the energy she had expelled. Her head was spinning. _She_ was the Moon Princess. The thought would've seemed absurd to her only an hour ago, but now she remembered everything…

Her name was Serentity, Princess of the Moon. She had lived on the Moon happily with her court, the Senshi, and she had even fallen in love. She was set to marry Prince Endymion from Earth. Usagi smiled slightly, remembering the happy time.

Her mother, Queen Serenity, had once ruled the universe, promoting justice and peace. However, rebellious outsiders invaded and attacked their kingdom, killing many and destroying several of the planets' kingdoms—including the Moon's. Usagi's eyes widened. Rebellious outsiders attacked—led by Queen Beryl of the Negaverse. Her mother was killed, as were she and Endymion. It is only due to the power of the Silver Crystal that they have been reincarnated to this time and place to live again—to create peace again.

Usagi became nauseous thinking of her Endymion's death. His lifeless body sprawled on the ground…She was killed only moments later…

"Mamoru," Usagi whispered, her throat becoming dry.

Would she ever see him again? Not only was he Tuxedo Kamen, her trusted ally and biggest crush, but he was also Endymion, her long-lost prince. _'He is also Mamoru,'_ Usagi thought to herself, tears stinging her eyes. As much as they bickered, she cared for him deeply. She knew there was no real venom in their arguing, and she had come to suspect he had cared for her as well. On the few days they would not run into one another, she felt empty…Now, he was in the hands of the Negaverse.

Usagi looked up to realize she had reached the stairs of the temple. She let out a huff of exhausted breath, and began to make her way up the steps. Usagi paused as she reached the doors to the temple—everything was about to change. Pushing the doors open slowly, she slipped inside.

Usagi was immediately met with six pairs of concerned eyes. The four Senshi sat in quiet anticipation, as did Luna and Artemis.

"Usagi," Rei breathed, getting to her feet. "What is this all about?"

Usagi looked at Luna, and the feline immediately jumped to all fours, entranced by the girl's presence. She knew.

Usagi looked at her guardian with a furrowed brow. "Luna," she whimpered, tears filling her eyes.

Luna leapt into the girl's arms, crying silent tears of her own.

"What is it?" Ami questioned, becoming even more concerned.

Luna jumped onto the table in the center of the room, and looked seriously at the four Senshi. "It is the Moon Princess," she stated.

"The Moon Princess?" Minako asked, confused. "What about her?"

Luna looked back at Usagi. "_She _is the Moon Princess."

"What?" the four girls exclaimed.

"I don't know why I didn't see it before...why I didn't remember," Luna softly said, shaking her feline head.

"Usagi-chan, is this true?" Makoto asked, stupefied.

"Yes," she nodded slowly in response.

"I just can't wrap my head around this," Rei sputtered, shaking her head. "How long have you known?"

"Not even an hour," Usagi sighed.

"Wow, Usagi-chan," Ami breathed. "What does this mean? What about the search for the Silver Crystal?"

"Yeah," Minako agreed. "It's more important now than ever that we find it!"

Usagi put her hand up to silence her friends. Once they were quiet, Usagi slowly opened the palm of her other hand, revealing a small round crystal. Everyone in the room gasped.

"Usagi," Luna spoke as she padded up to her charge. "How?"

Usagi began to cry, and Makoto was quickly by her side. "Usagi-chan," she began, draping an arm around her shoulders, "what is it?"

Usagi sniffled before speaking, "Yes, I am the Princess. And this is the Silver Crystal…but that's not all."

Rei's features became transformed with worry. "Usagi," she said, almost in a whisper, "what happened?"

Usagi sat down in an abrupt, clumsy motion before forcefully wiping the tears from her eyes. "An ambush," she said bitterly.

"Ambush?" Ami questioned, eyes wide.

Usagi sighed before continuing. "After I left the arcade, and I was with Mamoru-"

"Per usual," Minako piped in.

Usagi nodded and continued, "And we got into an argument—"

"Per usual," Makoto added, a smirk on her lips.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Yes!" she huffed, then continued. "Well, before I knew it, Zoicite and Kunzite were upon us. They seemed to come out of nowhere, and they drug Mamoru and I to an abandoned parking lot."

Minako gasped, "Had they been following you?"

"No," Usagi shook her head slowly. "They weren't after me. They were after Mamoru."

"What?" Rei exclaimed in surprise. "But why?"

Usagi felt the sting of tears once again. "Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen," she revealed, her voice shuddering a bit. The Senshi were silent, but she could feel their surprised stares. "The generals began to attack and we had not choice but to transform…"

"Usagi!" Luna gasped. "Does this mean that Kunzite and Zoicite know your true identity!"

"…"

Usagi's silence was all the answer Luna needed.

"So what happened?" Minako asked, placing her hand on Usagi's.

"We fought the best that we could, but we were no match for them. I-" Usagi paused, her throat feeling tight, "I tripped up. Tuxedo Kamen saved me…by taking a direct hit from Zoicite."

Rei brought her hand to her mouth. "Is he..?"

Usagi ignored her pained question and continued. "When I saw him get hit, something happened inside of me…I don't quite know what, but I became filled with energy—with power," she said, a far off look in her eyes. "And then, _poof_, the Silver Crystal appeared, and I remembered everything."

"Oh, Usagi-chan, why didn't you call us for help?" Ami asked.

Usagi shook her head. "There was no time. It all happened so fast…"

"And Tuxedo Kamen?" Rei asked, fear in her voice.

"Kunzite captured him and took him back to the Negaverse. I don't know if he…" Usagi trailed off.

"Zoicite and Kunzite saw you transform, Usagi! What if they come after you next?" Ami asked with worry.

"Zoicite won't be a problem—he's dead," Usagi informed her matter-of-factly. "As for Kunzite…the Negaverse took Mamoru for a reason. I think they are working on some sort of plan. That's my main concern right now—we have to get Mamoru back."

Despite the overwhelming sense of unease in the room, the girls nodded. Usagi spent the next few hours surrounded by her friends, answering questions about the battle, Mamoru, and the Moon Kingdom. After her voice was hoarse from speaking, Usagi excused herself and headed home.

She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. When she reached her home, she went straight to her bedroom and the warmth of her bed. Usagi stripped off her clothing and crawled beneath the covers, ready to collapse into unconsciousness. Usagi closed her eyes, enjoying the blackness. She exhaled slowly, wanting to relax, but she could not. Instead images of Mamoru flashed through her mind—his cocky smile, his eyes glimmering with mischief. The way he would nonchalantly run a hand through his hair as he spoke. The way he would look at her, his gaze filled with annoyance and desire at the same time…

She saw him being hit by Zoicite, his body spasming in pain, over and over again. Usagi squeezed her eyes tightly shut, warm tears escaping from their corners. Her stomach twisted picturing how he limply laid on the ground, pool of red blood forming beneath him…

Usagi let out an abrupt sob as her eyes shot open. She stared blankly at the ceiling as slow tears ran down her cheeks, accumulating on her pillow, making it damp with salty liquid. An empty, gnawing feeling churned within her, and Usagi realized she might never see him again…Tuxedo Kamen…Mamoru.

Usagi laid there, in her bed, staring at the ceiling until the sun came up several hours later. She rolled over, numb, and stared out her window at the brightening skyline.

"Endymion…" she whispered.

* * *

Queen Beryl stared at the unconscious prince, an obsessive, lustful look in her eyes. Black energy swirled around him, working its magic. The queen felt triumphant. Although she did not have the Silver Crystal, she had captured something else dear to that insipid princess. A cold sneer formed on her red lips.

Beryl looked the man over. She had forgotten how handsome he was—his jet black hair and muscular physique. Her chest puffed with pride as she realized he was now hers. He would be her greatest weapon.

"How are things going, my queen?" Kunzite asked softly from the doorway.

Without turning around, Queen Beryl raised an eyebrow and answered, "As good as can be expected. Endymion should be fully under my power within the next few hours."

Kunzite straightened, unsure of how he felt about the queen's new plan. "Glad to hear it, my queen."

"Kunzite," she called, turning toward the general slowly.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"You question me?" she asked, her eyes becoming hard.

"Of course not, Queen Beryl!" he assured her. "I am just upset over the loss of Zoicite."

Beryl's features softened only slightly. "Yes, his services will be missed."

Kunzite nodded, his stomach twisting in anger. "Yes, my queen. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kunzite," she replied as she turned around to stare at her prince once again.

* * *

Usagi went through the first few days following Mamoru's capture like a robot. She felt like a shell of a person. She still could not come to terms with the fact that she was the Moon Princess. Although she remembered everything about her past life, it still seemed so impossible—so surreal. She also could not accept that Mamoru was really gone. Each day, each hour that passed without his returned burned a little bit more than the last.

"Odango?"

Usagi's head whipped in the direction of the voice. She was disappointed when her eyes met those of Naru, who was seated in the desk next to her.

"Usagi-chan, would you like an odango?" she asked again, holding out a dumpling.

Usagi's face blanched as she stared at the food. She shook her head slowly, "No thanks, Naru-chan. I'm not hungry."

Naru studied her friend's face for a moment. It was highly unusual for Usagi to turn down food, but something else was off. The normal spark in Usagi's eye, the normal gusto in her demeanor, was gone. Naru sadly stared at her for a few more moments and then, deciding not to prod, turned back to her lunch.

Usagi left school at the end of the day, the wheels in her brain turning vigorously. She needed to devise a plan to get Mamoru back, but where did she begin? She had no idea _where_ the Negaverse was, let alone _how _to get to it. As she continued to rack her brain, her communicator suddenly went off.

"Usagi here," she said after turning the device on.

"Usagi, there's a youma at the beauty shop on Fifth Street," Sailor Venus panted, out of breath. "Get here as fast as you can!"

"Be right there," Usagi nodded and signed off.

Usagi ducked into an alley and quickly transformed. Once she was powered up as Sailor Moon, she leapt from rooftop to rooftop toward Fifth Street. She was secretly grateful for the youma attack. Not only could she blow off some steam and take out her frustration on a snarling youma, but there was also a good chance that Kunzite would make an appearance. She might be able to get some answers concerning Mamoru's whereabouts.

When Sailor Moon arrived at the beauty shop, she was greeted by the rumbling of thunder and the flashing of lights. The four Senshi were already engaged in a battled with a tall, lanky youma inside the shop. Sailor Moon blew through the front door and took a place next to Sailor Mars.

"Hey," Sailor Moon breathed, tired from her run, "what's this monster's deal?"

"Well it throws razor blades and is equipped with giant scissors," Mars grumbled. "I'd watch myself if I were you—I've already been cut a few times!"

"Sailor Mercury," Moon called to her blue-haired friend, "any leads on a weakness?"

"I'm working on it!" Mercury called back, frantically typing on her computer.

The youma then threw a handful of razor blades in Sailor Moon's direction. "Gahhhhhh!" she wailed as she clumsily jumped out of the way.

The monster threw another slew of blades, and Sailor Moon received a nasty slice on her arm. Moon stared at the blood dripping down her arm, and rage began to fill her.

"I'm sick of being pushed around by you Negaverse scum!" she yelled, seething.

Sailor Jupiter looked at her friend and raised an eyebrow—Sailor Moon looked thoroughly pissed. This was her chance to blow off some steam, and she was not about to waste it!

"The youma seems to have a weakness in her shoulder!" Mercury yelled. "If you hit it there, she may be disabled long enough to heal with the Moon wand!"

"I'm on it!" Moon called, and whipped her tiara at the monster. The disc hit the youma directly in the shoulder, and it fell back, wailing in pain.

"Nice shot, Sailor Moon!" Venus cheered proudly.

Sailor Moon smirked before pulling out her crescent wand and showering the beast in healing energy. When the glow of her wand dissipated, an unconscious shop girl fell to the floor.

"Not bad, Sailor Moon," Mars smiled, patting her friend on the back.

The Senshi celebration halted, though, when it was interrupted by a slow, mocking clap. Sailor Moon tensed, and turned around, prepared to face Kunzite. Her face dropped, however, when she was met with another familiar face. Could it be? She studied him, assessing his every detail: the tailored black pants and jacket, the bow tie, the long black cape, the top hat, the mask…

"Tux-tuxedo Kamen?" she stuttered, eyes tearing. "Is it really you?"

Wearing a cocky smile, he tipped his hat. "Sailor Moon, I presume?" he smoothly spoke.

"Huh?" she asked with a furrowed brow. "What do you—"

"Yes," he cut her off, "I am the infamous Tuxedo Kamen, also known as Prince Endymion, and I have come for the Silver Crystal. Now hand it over, and nobody gets hurt."

Sailor Moon took a step back in surprise. "I don't understand. I am your ally," she whispered, shaking her head.

Tuxedo Kamen laughed and rolled his eyes beneath his mask. "Oh please. I am no more your ally than Queen Beryl herself. I have come here to retrieve the crystal for my queen, and I will not leave without it!"

Sailor Moon felt her world tilt off its axis. What was happening? Had she heard him right? He had called Queen Beryl _his_ queen. Her stomach began to twist, a sick feeling taking her over. She felt a gentle hand on her arm and she looked beside her to find Sailor Venus.

"Sailor Moon," she began softly, "he is no longer our friend. He is working for the Negaverse now."

Sailor Moon shook her head in disgust. "But that can't be…" she whispered.

"You've got it right, Sailor…" he trailed off.

"Venus," she filled in for him, some confusion in her voice.

"Venus," he repeated, nodding in her direction. "I serve only the Negaverse and Queen Beryl."

"I don't think he remembers any of us," Mars said quietly from behind Moon. "I think he may have been brainwashed!"

"Now," Tuxedo Kamen began, straightening his stance, "give me the Silver Crystal!"

Jupiter and Mars placed themselves in front of Sailor Moon. "Hell no!" Jupiter spat. "We're not giving you anything!"

"Very well," he replied before throwing two roses in their direction.

Sailor Jupiter jumped out of the way, as did Sailor Mars, taking Sailor Moon with her. Moon and Mars hit the ground with a _thump. _Mars turned to Sailor Moon to find her frozen on the floor, eyes wide.

"Sailor Moon," she said urgently, "you have to fight back! He is under Queen Beryl's control. Who knows if we can undo what she's done to him…"

Sailor Moon's face lit up. "_I _can undo it!" she declared, jumping to her feet.

She whipped out her crescent wand, now equipped with the Silver Crystal. She fixed her eyes on Tuxedo Kamen, determination in her stare. "Moon Healing Escalation!" she yelled and sent a flood of healing energy in his direction. Tuxedo Kamen froze as the energy washed over him, and Sailor Moon smiled, confident the wand's power was taking effect.

However, seconds later, Tuxedo Kamen jumped into the air and sailed toward Sailor Moon. As he came down upon her, he pulled out his cane and swung it in her direction. The cane connected with Sailor Moon's abdomen, sending her flying across the room and through a plate glass window. Glass shattered all around her, and she groaned as she pushed herself up from the debris. She slowly looked toward Tuxedo Kamen, surprise and anger in her eyes.

The Senshi gasped, shocked and fearful at Tuxedo Kamen's actions. Sailor Mars stared at Sailor Moon, prepared to see utter devastation on the girl's face.

"What the fuck!" Sailor Moon growled, and Sailor Mars raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Tuxedo Kamen strode toward Sailor Moon, and an arrogant smile crossed his lips as he reached her. "It's not my fault you underestimated my power."

"Power?" she yelled, voice shrill. "That was not power! That was a cheap shot!"

He laughed and raised an eyebrow. "You're only saying that because I got the better of you." He dusted off the sleeves of his jacket casually, and Sailor Moon stomped her foot in frustrated response.

The Senshi watched as the electricity built up between the quarrelling pair. "It's just like a typical Usagi-Mamoru fight…" Mercury muttered.

"_You _got the better of _me_?" Moon replied, blood boiling. "Nothing about you is better than me, you jerk!

Tuxedo only chuckled in response, making the fuming heroine even madder. Sailor Moon then felt a slight breeze on her skin, and her eyes shot down to inspect her fuku. She gasped when saw a huge tear across the midsection of her body suit. She realized it must have torn when she went through the window. Renewed rage began to fill her.

"Just look what you did!" she pouted at Tuxedo Kamen. "My fuku! You've ruined it!" she sniffled as she gestured to her exposed stomach.

Tuxedo Kamen's gaze darkened as it fixed itself on her bare skin. "So I have," he replied smoothly as he ran a gloved finger across her stomach. Sailor Moon felt the muscles in her stomach clench and her blue eyes shot up to meet his, a powerful current flowing between them. The two stared at one another, palpable heat building between them. Sailor Moon stared as his pink lips, and found herself wanting to taste them with her own. They looked so soft… Her eyes traveled back to Tuxedo Kamen's and she found he was staring at her with the same lust-filled gaze.

Oblivious to the mounting sexual tension between Moon and Kamen, the four Senshi decided to intervene. "Face it buddy," Sailor Jupiter yelled, "it's five to one, and your chances of getting out of here without a major injury are slim to none!"

Tuxedo Kamen turned to the girls, eyebrows raised. "You've got a point," he smirked. "Until next time!" he called before leaping away and disappearing into the darkness.

Sailor Moon stood motionless, and Sailor Venus came beside her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Oh, Sailor Moon, I'm sorry," she said sadly. "We'll figure out a way to get him back," she assured her.

Sailor Moon had barely heard her friend as she continued to stare in the direction of Tuxedo Kamen's exit. A slow smile crossed her lips, and her eyes lit with mischief. _'Yes,' _she thought to herself, _'I will get him back.' _She had a plan that was so simple, yet so brilliant: She was going to seduce Tuxedo Kamen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The air was dark and thick, and the smell of death wafted into his nostrils. Endymion adjusted his armor as he made his way to the throne room. Two guards nodded at the prince as he approached two heavy wooden doors. The men pulled the doors open, and Endymion sauntered inside.

"Good evening, my queen," he spoke, kneeling on the ground to show his respect.

"Endymion," the queen smiled. "Please, stand up," she told him, motioning with her hand. "How did you fair during your first encounter with the Senshi?"

"Well," he replied, tilting his head, "I definitely think I made an impression. All in all, I'd say it was a success," he finished with a smirk.

Queen Beryl straightened in her seat. "Then you have obtained the Silver Crystal?" she asked, excitement evident in her voice.

"Well, no," he began, "but—"

"Then your mission was not a success!" she snapped, cutting him off.

"You are right, your majesty," he told her, bowing his head. "However," he continued, his head whipping up, "I have devised a plan to obtain it."

Beryl raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on," she encouraged him.

"I noticed that the Senshi were a bit disarmed by my appearance as Tuxedo Kamen," he began.

"Yes," Beryl agreed. "The Senshi had always assumed Tuxedo Kamen was their ally."

"Precisely. Therefore, I thought I could exploit that former trust and current confusion. Sailor Moon seemed particularly effected by my presence," he disclosed, narrowing his eyes evilly.

Queen Beryl smirked as she tapped her fingernails against the arm of her throne. "This information is promising, especially since Sailor Moon has possession of the Silver Crystal. Do what ever it takes to get it from her—manipulate her, exploit her feelings for Tuxedo Kamen."

"It is done," Endymion replied, and bowed to his queen.

* * *

Usagi lay awake in her bed, her blood still pumping from her encounter with Tuxedo Kamen. She shook in her head in silent disbelief—he had actually struck her! "That jerk," she mumbled to herself. Her scowl then turned to a smirk as she thought over her brilliant plan. Although Usagi played the innocent, she was not a complete fool when it came to men. Sex was a very powerful weapon, and she intended to use it. Although her experience was limited, or non-existent to be exact, she had seen enough movies and heard enough stories from her friends to know what to do.

"This should be a breeze," she smiled to herself.

She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh, contemplating what her first move should be during her next encounter with Tuxedo Kamen. She would temp him and lure him back to her side. She had a feeling the Silver Crystal would only work in restoring Mamoru's memory if he wanted it to, so she needed to get to work right away. Usagi bit her lip as she pictured herself flirting with Tuxedo Kamen…touching him…kissing him. Usagi opened her eyes as a sudden thought occurred to her. What if Tuxedo Kamen wanted to do _more_ than kiss her? Just how far would she let this plan go?

Slight panic filled Usagi's stomach and a blush crept onto her cheeks. What if he wanted to…to… She shook her head, restoring her resolve. Usagi stared at the ceiling, her brows furrowed in determination. She would take the plan as far as she needed, her innocence be damned. Nothing was more important than getting Mamoru, her Endymion, back.

Usagi took a deep breath. "Whatever it takes," she quietly told herself.

* * *

Usagi picked at her already chipping nail polish, tuning out the discussion occurring around her. Her eyes were heavy, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed—she had barely slept a wink the night before. She let out a dramatic sigh and rested her chin on the back of her hand.

"Usagi!" Rei scolded, tossing a pillow at Usagi's head.

The pillow hit Usagi square in the face. "Ow!" she whined in response.

"Would you pay attention!" Rei commanded. "We need to figure out a way to get Mamoru back!"

Usagi straightened in her seat and nodded. She had decided last night that telling the girls about her seduction plan probably wasn't the best idea. They would most likely scold her or try to talk her out of it. She felt guilty keeping secrets, but it needed to be done.

"As I was saying," Ami continued, scowling at Rei and Usagi for interrupting, "Mamoru seems to be under a very powerful spell. He has no recollection of his previous life as Mamoru or Tuxedo Kamen. He seems to identify himself primarily as Prince Endymion, but even his memories as Endymion have been altered. Queen Beryl has completely brainwashed him," she concluded, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Now, what we need to figure out is, how do we restore Mamoru's memory?"

Minako shook her head. "I don't get it," she sighed. "I thought the Silver Crystal would have been strong enough to heal him—to undo Queen Beryl's spell."

"Me too," Makoto agreed. "If the crystal won't work, what other options do we have?"

"Well," Luna began, "maybe repeated exposure to the crystal would be more effective? Or prolonged exposure?"

"That may work," Ami agreed, "but does Usagi have the power and energy for that kind of sustained healing?"

Luna shook her head, dejected. "I don't know…"

"What do you think, Usagi?" Makoto asked, and Usagi looked up to find five pairs of eyes staring at her anxiously.

"I-," she began slowly, "I don't know. I think all I can do now is try to hit Tuxedo Kamen with the Moon Wand each time I see him. Hopefully it will slowly break away at Queen Beryl's spell," she lied.

Tired and out of options, the Senshi simply nodded at Usagi's suggestion. "It's worth a try," Ami agreed.

"Why don't we all go home and get some rest," Rei yawned. "It's been a long couple of days. Plus, it's only a matter of time before the Negaverse attacks again—we need to be ready."

"Right," the girls agreed before making their way home.

* * *

Usagi paced anxiously around her bedroom. It had been nearly a week since the Negaverse's last attack and since her first encounter with an "evil" Tuxedo Kamen. She needed to begin her seduction of her new enemy before she lost all her nerve. The more she thought about her plan, the crazier it seemed, and at this point, she was ready to jump out of her skin. "Just what are they waiting for?" Usagi moaned to herself. Her patience with the Negaverse was wearing thinner than usual.

There was also the matter of just _how_ Usagi was going to seduce Tuxedo Kamen. What should she do first, bat her eyelashes at him and make kissy noises? Maybe she'd be really bold and just pinch his ass… Usagi giggled at that thought.

"Alright, I need to get down to business," she told herself, stepping in front of her mirror. Looking at her reflection, she straightened her hair and took a deep breath. "Well, I guess practice makes perfect." Usagi twirled around dramatically before striking a sexy pose—she put her hands on her waist, cocked out her hip, and threw her neck back. "Hey there, stud," she drawled to her reflection. Seeing how utterly stupid she looked, Usagi dropped her arms with a huff and let out a groan. "This shouldn't be so hard!" she assured herself. "I can be sexy!" she pouted. Raising an eyebrow, she leaned forward, pushing out her cleavage at the mirror. "Hey, baby," she winked.

Usagi's communicator went off and she jumped with a squeal. Her cheeks reddened, embarrassed with her antics over the last few minutes. Still startled, Usagi grabbed the device and answered it with a "What?"

Sailor Jupiter appeared, eyebrows raised. "Uh, we have a youma in the park. We could use your assistance."

"On my way," Usagi replied and signed off. She took a shaky deep breath. This was it… Usagi pushed open her window and slipped outside. Once on the ground, she transformed, and headed for the park. Her feet flew over the pavement, only brushing it as she bounced from foot to foot. Her breathing was heavy, but not from the run. Nerves churned in her stomach and her heart pounded in her ears. She knew she had to pull herself together before reaching the battle. Sailor Moon tried to breath deeply as she repeated to herself, "What ever it takes to get him back. What ever it takes, what ever it takes…"

Sailor Moon's feet skidded to a halt as she arrived at the scene. The four Senshi were fighting a youma only meters away. Sailor Moon tried to assess the battle, and contemplated her first move.

"Why, good evening, Sailor Moon."

Sailor Moon jumped and turned in the direction of that all-too-familiar smoky voice. "Tuxedo Kamen, funny meeting you here," she drawled.

"I'm surprised to see you hanging back from the fight like this," he continued. "Picking the optimal moment to trip and fall into the battle?" he smirked.

Eyes narrowed and hands on her hips, Sailor Moon spat, "Cram it, you moron! I only fall down _sometimes_" she corrected him, crossing her arms.

"Oh, well my mistake," he chuckled. "Leave it to me to mix up constant clumsiness with only occasional clumsiness. Tell me, has the person training you had an inner ear infection, because I've noticed some major issues with your balance," he smirked.

Usagi balled her fists. "Why you—you—" Trying to stifle her rage, Usagi remembered her plan. She needed to seduce him, not pummel him!

Tuxedo Kamen furrowed his brow as he noticed a sudden shift in Sailor Moon's demeanor.

Sailor Moon shifted her weight to one leg and placed a hand on her hip. Flipping a pigtail over her shoulder, she giggled moronically, and hummed, "Oh Tuxedo Kamen, that's so funny!" She continued to giggle, throwing a few winks in Tux's direction.

Tuxedo Kamen raised an eyebrow, an utterly confused expression on his face. "Uh, Sailor Moon, are you…okay? Do you have something in you eye?" he asked uncomfortably.

"No I do not have something in my eye!" she yelled dropping her hands to her side and stomping her foot. "Ugh!" she wailed, "Why am I such a spaz?"

Sailor Moon's failed attempts at flirting were then interrupted by a scream. Moon turned toward the battle to see Sailor Venus clutching her shoulder in pain. "Oh no!" Moon breathed and leapt toward the monster.

"Sailor Moon!" Mars called. "The youma has a weak spot on its stomach. See if you can hit it with your tiara!"

"Got it!" she nodded, and hurled her tiara toward the monster. The disc hit it square in the stomach, stunning the creature. Sailor Moon then pulled out her wand to heal the youma, and free the human inside. Once the unconscious person fell to the ground, Sailor Moon rushed to Venus' side.

"Sailor Venus!" she cried. "Are you okay?"

Venus smiled weakly at Moon, "Yeah I'm fine. I was just a little slow tonight."

Sailor Moon placed a hand on Sailor Venus' hand, then turned to the rest of the Senshi. "Tend to Venus. I'm going to try and hit Tuxedo Kamen with the Moon Wand while I have a chance."

"We'll take care of her," Mercury nodded. "Be careful, though, Sailor Moon."

"Will do!" she replied before leaping back toward Tuxedo Kamen.

"You know," he began as Sailor Moon neared him, "I am really getting sick of you destroying my monsters."

"Yeah, well I'm pretty sick of you in general, so I guess we're even," she replied.

"Oh, come on now, Sailor Moon," he purred as he moved closer to her. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

Moon straightened a bit, realizing that Tuxedo Kamen was flirting with her. She narrowed her eyes a bit and thought, _'Looks like I'm not the only one willing to play games here.' _Even more determined to be the one in control, Sailor Moon moved even closer to Tuxedo Kamen, leaving barely an inch between her chest and his.

"You really are full of yourself, aren't you?" she replied. "Although," she continued, stroking the label of his jacket with her index finger, "you always have been. Why is that?" she asked coyly, tilting her head.

Tuxedo Kamen took in a sharp breath as Sailor Moon touched him, and she smiled in satisfaction. "Well," he began, "when you're as good-looking as I am, it's hard not to be confident," he smirked, making an effort to regain control of the situation. He then brought a thumb to Sailor Moon's mouth and brushed it over her lips. "What's wrong, Sailor Moon," he purred again, "don't you find me attractive?"

"Freeze Cape-boy!" Jupiter's voice angrily interrupted.

Tuxedo Kamen took a step back from Sailor Moon and turned toward the rest of the Senshi. "What seems to be the problem?" he grinned.

"You know exactly what the problem is," Mars spat. "I don't know what you're playing at, but you stay away from Sailor Moon!"

Tuxedo Kamen raised an eyebrow. _'Looks like the Senshi are smarter than I thought,'_ he pondered. "The only thing I am playing at, Sailor Mars, is getting that Silver Crystal, and not you, Sailor Moon, or any of the other Senshi will stand in my way." He replied gritting his teeth. "I will do WHATEVER it takes to obtain it," he finished, sending a cold look toward Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon shivered, finally realizing this was no game. There was genuine evil in Tuxedo Kamen's gaze, and she had no doubt he would harm her to get what he wanted.

"Goodnight, ladies," he called before disappearing into the night.

Sailor Moon stood frozen. He would do what ever it took to get what he wanted, but so would she. Only time would tell who would come out on top…

* * *

Usagi sat at the counter of the Crown Parlor, poking at her milkshake with the straw. Resting her chin on her hand, she occasionally released a few drops of the cold chocolate liquid from the straw onto her waiting tongue. She let out a sigh, and thought about Mamoru for the millionth time that day.

"Hey, Usagi-chan," Motoki called cheerily from behind the counter.

"Hi Motoki," she smiled. "How are you?"

"Just fine and dandy," he grinned, "but I'm not sure I could say the same for you. Are you okay?"

Usagi smiled again, "I'm okay. Just a little tired today."

"Oh, well, I'm glad to hear it's nothing serious getting you down. You're just so quiet, I was a little concerned," he told her.

"Thanks, Motoki," she smirked.

"Although, I guess you're usually at your loudest when Mamoru is around," he chuckled, and Usagi stiffened. "By the way, have you seen him lately?" Motoki asked, concern in his voice. "I haven't seen him in over a week, and he hasn't been returning my calls."

"No," she shook her head. "I haven't seen Mamoru." It was the truth. That man she encountered was NOT Mamoru, and she had to remember that fact.

"Well, if you see Mamoru, tell him I was asking for him," Motoki continued.

"I will," Usagi told him. "I hope to see him soon."

After a few hours at the Sailor V game, Usagi decided it was time to head home. The sun had already set as Usagi made her way through the dark streets of Tokyo. The air was crisp, and Usagi inhaled slowly, trying to forget her stresses. A shrill scream, however, prevented any possibility of relaxation. Usagi ran toward the commotion to find a young girl being attacked by a youma just at the edge of the park. Usagi transformed and ran to the girl's aid.

"Hold it, Nega-scum!" Sailor Moon commanded. "I will not allow you to harm that girl! You're moon dusted!" she finished and prepared for an attack.

Suddenly, however, both the girl and the youma vaporized and vanished. "What the…" she muttered to herself. She walked farther into the park to where the monster had just been and looked around. Where could it have gong? Was she seeing things?

"You're not going crazy, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Kamen assured her.

Sailor Moon whipped around to see him leaning casually against a tree, arms crossed. "Tuxedo Kamen?" she questioned angrily. "What are you up to?"

Using only his shoulder, Tuxedo pushed himself away from the tree and began to stride toward Sailor Moon. "Well, I needed _some_ way to get you here…alone," he smirked.

Sailor Moon pulled out her communicator to call for back up, but Tuxedo Kamen easily snatched out of her hand and threw it into the bushes. "Tsk, tsk," he teased her. "This was meant to be a one-on-one battle."

"Battle?" she questioned. "Well if that's the case, prepare yourself for the beating of a life time," she scowled, her heart racing.

Tuxedo Kamen narrowed his eyes, all mocking left behind. "I'd like to see you try," he responded, gritting his teeth.

Accepting his invitation, Sailor Moon instantly threw a round-house kick at Tuxedo Kamen's head. He blocked it easily and returned with a punch. Sailor Moon turned to dodge the hit, then stomped on Tuxedo Kamen's foot.

"Ouch!" he yelled, hopping up and down on the uninjured foot. "What kind of an attack was that?"

Sailor Moon bit her lip, holding back a laugh. "Apparently, a painful one."

Tuxedo Kamen sneered, her sarcasm igniting a familiar fire inside him. "Well, as painful as it was, if that's the best you can do, this fight is going to be over real fast."

"Bring it on," she gestured with her fingers, taunting him.

Tuxedo grinned and lunged toward Moon. She yelped before leaping into the air and out of his path. "Ha!" she yelled. "Looks like I'm too quick for the great Tuxedo Ka—ahhh!" she squealed as he grabbed her and pinned her to a tree.

Tuxedo Kamen gripped Sailor Moon's wrists and pinned them above her head. "What was that you were saying?" he goaded. "Too quick? I think not," he snarled, pushing her against the tree even harder.

Sailor Moon's breath caught in her throat. She was in a very vulnerable position, and he could, and probably would, hurt her. Remembering their last encounter, Sailor Moon decided her plan of seduction might be her best bet for survival.

"Maybe it's not that you're quicker than I am," she purred, "maybe I _wanted_ to get caught," she finished, arching her back against the tree, pushing her chest against his.

Tuxedo Kamen immediately stiffened, and Sailor Moon knew she was effecting him exactly in the way she wanted to. "What's the matter, Tuxedo Kamen?" Moon continued, snaking a leg around his waist. "No witty come back?"

Tuxedo Kamen bit his lip and stared down at the blonde, letting out a deep laugh. Her body pressed against his was driving him crazy, and he needed to find some semblance of control. "Trust me Sailor Moon, whatever you dish out I can take and give back ten fold," he smirked, thrusting his hips forward.

Sailor Moon gasped, surprised not only by his boldness, but also by how good it felt to be in such a compromising position with her enemy. Her body became warm, and she wanted nothing more that to physically react to everything he was doing to her, but this was a battle of wills, and she had to retain the power.

Sailor Moon tilted her chin up, letting her lips only slightly brush Tuxedo Kamen's. "Empty threats," she teased, her lips buzzing against his as she spoke.

Tuxedo Kamen grunted, and, releasing her wrists, grabbed a hold of Sailor Moon's waist. Sailor Moon grinned seductively. She had him right where she wanted him. Moon let her hands travel up Tuxedo Kamen's chest, ever so slowly. She then grabbed the lapels of his jacket and—pushed!

Sailor Moon roughly pushed Tuxedo Kamen off of her, throwing him to the ground. Sailor Moon then walked over to the bushes, fetched out her communicator, and dusted it off. Clearing her throat, she turned toward Tuxedo Kamen, who stared at her dumbfounded. "Well, Tuxedo Kamen," she began, straightening her fuku, "it's been fun. Until next time," she assured him and blew him a kiss.

As she walked away, hips swaying, she glanced over her shoulder and gave Tuxedo Kamen one last lust-filled look. Tuxedo Kamen narrowed his eyes, trying to fight the smirk forming on his lips. As he got to his feet and dusted himself off, he shook his head. That girl was going to destroy him if he wasn't careful. He let out a soft chuckle and transported back to the Negaverse.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sailor Moon ducked into a nearby alley and de-transformed. Once back to her human self, she smiled and leaned against the brick of the alley wall. She sighed contentedly, though her heart was still racing. The image of Tuxedo Kamen's shocked face as he sat on the ground popped into Usagi's head and she giggled. She shook her head in awe. She had been trying too hard before to flirt with Tuxedo Kamen—batting her eyelashes and sending suggestive signals. All she really had to do was listen to her body, and react to his. And boy did her body react to his! Usagi blushed remembering the way he pressed himself against her, and the warm feeling that spread through her stomach as he did so. _'But he reacted too!' _she thought to herself triumphantly. She could tell he was on the brink of losing control, and she liked it… She had never felt so… powerful.

Satisfied with the night's events, Usagi pushed herself away from the wall and began to make her way home.

* * *

Endymion entered his chamber and closed the door behind him. He flopped dramatically, face down onto the bed. He rolled over with a sigh, and stared at the ceiling in contemplation. His body still warm and his skin still humming from her contact, Endymion thought about Sailor Moon. How could she affect him so? He's had the company of many women, believe you me, and he'd never felt like this before. And she was just like every other woman, wasn't she?

He thought again of her pink lips, of the way her hips rose to meet his as he pressed her against that tree, and his pants suddenly felt tighter. Endymion chuckled. _'Perhaps she is not like every other woman,' _he thought to himself. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He needed release! Lord knows Queen Beryl's door, and legs for that matter, were always open to him, but he knew she would never do. He wanted _her—_Sailor Moon.

He sat up in his bed, a disturbing sensation filling him. It wasn't just her body, he realized, that he wanted. There was something in their banter, something in her gaze… It was…familiar. Familiar, and comfortable, like a warm blanket, and he felt a sense of longing.

Endymion rose to his feet, shaking his head, and shaking away the strange thoughts buzzing through his head. He headed straight for the bathroom. He needed a shower. He needed a COLD shower.

* * *

It was about three days later when the next attack occurred. A youma had been set loose in the mall, and the five Senshi were on the scene to defeat it.

"Shabon Spay!" Mercury called, causing a thick fog to overtake the area where the girls were fighting.

"I'll stun the youma with my attack!" Jupiter called. "Then you hit it with the Moon wand, Sailor Moon!"

"Got it!" Moon replied.

Sailor Jupiter threw a bolt of lightening at the creature, and Sailor Moon quickly hit it with her wand. Sailor Moon breathed a sigh of relief as the freed human fell to the ground.

"Nice job guys," Moon said to her Senshi.

"You too, Sailor Moon," Mars replied. "You're really stepping up your game!"

"Thanks," Moon smiled sheepishly.

"Yes, Sailor Moon, you're becoming quite the warrior," a cocky voice agreed.

Sailor Moon spun on her heel to face the mocking man. "So you decided to make an appearance after all?" Sailor Moon drawled.

Tuxedo Kamen chuckled. "Of course. You think I'd miss the opportunity to see you in action?" he replied smoothly, and Sailor Moon blushed. "Until next time," he said before tilting his hat and dashing out of the mall.

Sailor Moon started to go after him, when Mar caught her arm. "Sailor Moon! Where do you think you are going?" she demanded.

"I need to hit him with the Moon wand whenever I can," she lied. "Let go, or he'll get away!" she pleaded.

"Alright," Mars sighed. "Be careful!" she called after Moon's retreating form.

Sailor Moon exited the building and she saw Tuxedo Kamen leap onto a nearby rooftop. She promptly followed him. When she landed on the rooftop, she found Tuxedo Kamen waiting for her, arms crossed.

"Expecting me, were you?" Sailor Moon asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course," he smirked. "You can't resist me anymore than I can resist you."

Sailor Moon flipped one of her pigtails over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "You and that cocky attitude again," she replied, head shaking.

Sailor Moon then yelped in surprise as Tuxedo Kamen grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him.

"Why do you enjoy teasing me so?" he asking flirtatiously.

"Because I can," she purred, boldly clutching the waistband of his pants.

Well that just sent him over the edge! Tuxedo Kamen grabbed Sailor Moon by the waist roughly, spinning her around and forcefully pushing her back against a brick wall. He dove for her mouth, pressing his lips against hers. Sailor Moon winced slightly at the hard contact of his mouth, then parted her lips in an attempt to soften and deepen the kiss. Tuxedo Kamen followed suit, and their kisses fell into a slow, smooth rhythm. She wound her white-gloved fingers through his thick black hair, willing him even closer. He moaned softly as his hands traveled over her hips, one hand daring to travel even higher and cup one of her breasts.

Sailor Moon gasped at the contact and Tuxedo Kamen pulled away from her lips, trailing warm kisses down her neck and collarbone.

Panting, he stopped his decent, and looked into Sailor Moon's eyes. She stared back at him, his smirk shining through his stare. "This is exactly what you wanted, isn't it?" he asked, his eyes darkening as he gazed at her lips once more.

Sailor Moon stiffened, Tuxedo's innocent question stirring discomfort within her. Her bottom lip began to tremble, and Moon roughly pushed the masked man away from her. "This isn't…" she began, her words suddenly lost to her. "I don't…" she stammered again, brow furrowed in confusion.

Sailor Moon abruptly stopped her attempts at speaking, and briskly strode to the edge of the roof. As she prepared to leap away, Tuxedo Kamen yelled, "Wait!"

Moon turned hesitantly toward him, his gaze confused and lustful at the same time. He shook his head at her, trying to discern what had just occurred.

Eyes hard, Sailor Moon spoke to Tuxedo Kamen. "Believe me when I say, THIS," she emphasized, gesturing between the two of them, "is not what I want."

With that, she leapt away, leaving Tuxedo Kamen on the roof only to stare after her. A strange feeling began to well up inside him, and he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He felt suddenly…lost. Cold air now replaced her warmth and he had never felt so alone.

Tuxedo Kamen let out a sudden snort-like laugh. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he asked himself aloud, "Why am I thinking such nonsense?" He tried to shake off the uncomfortable and unfamiliar feelings. He narrowed his eyes in determination, further ignoring the stirring emotions. "She is nothing," he assured himself, his voice hard and cold. "Nothing but a target."

* * *

Sailor Moon paused in an alley about a block from her home. She slumped against a nearby dumpster, tears stinging her eyes. She was angry at herself, at her own weakness. She was losing control, and way too early in this game. She was all-too-present and engrossed in her latest encounter with Tuxedo Kamen. So much so, that she had nearly forgotten her plan. She had nearly forgotten that he was evil. Her feelings for Endymion and Mamoru were beginning to cloud her judgment already. '_I came on too strong, too fast!' _she scolded herself.

With a huff she pushed herself away from the dumpster. She began to pace the alley in frustration, angrily kicking the aluminum cans and bits of trash that crossed her path as she did so. "He is _not_ Mamoru!" she scolded herself. "He does not love me and he never will!" Her pacing came to a halt. "He never will… at least not in his current condition. We will only have a chance at love if I heal him."

Her resolve restored, she assured herself that she would be more controlled, more calculated. This Tuxedo Kamen should mean nothing to her. Nothing.

Her eyes filled with tears once again. "If he means nothing to me," she whispered, "then why do I feel like this?"

Sailor Moon sighed. This was going to be harder than she ever imagined.

* * *

Endymion paced about his chamber, his face painted with frustration. _'I need to obtain that crystal!' _he told himself. His Queen was not known for her patience, and he knew time was running out. He needed to put his plan into high gear. His last meeting with Sailor Moon did not go as he'd planned, and he still felt unsettled about their encounter. Pushing away anything that even resembled feelings, Endymion began to adjust his strategy.

"Maybe I came on to strong?" he wondered aloud. "I need to play at her emotions—not just her sexuality…"

"Encountering some speed bumps, are we Endymion?" Kunzite goaded from the doorway of his room.

Endymion straightened his posture and narrowed his eyes at the general. "Not at all, Kunzite. Things are progressing nicely, so you can just back off," he growled.

Kunzite laughed. "Hardly. If things were progressing as they should, you would have the Silver Crystal by now," he smirked. "The others are starting to talk, you know. Saying that you can handle this assignment on your own."

"Who's talking?" Endymion demanded.

"No matter," Kunzite replied nonchalantly, "but perhaps you could use some assistance with this task?"

Endymion furrowed his brow, "What are you proposing?"

"So glad you asked," Kunzite smiled as he moved from the doorway and into the room. "It's simple really. We abduct Sailor Moon and bring her here. We then get the crystal from her by any means possible. I suggest torture," he finished grinning evilly.

Endymion straightened. The idea of torturing Sailor Moon did not sit well with him, but there is know way he could let Kunzite know that. "That is a possibility," Endymion lied, "but Sailor Moon won't be easy to capture, not with the Senshi there to protect her."

Kunzite grinned wider, "Now, see, that is the truly delicious part. I saw Sailor Moon transform. I've seen her in her human form. All we have to do is track her down, and we can take her in her sleep. It's too easy."

Endymion's mouth unconsciously tightened. "Let's save that plan as a back-up. I'd still like to continue with my current strategy for the time being," he ordered, his heart beating harder.

Kunzite narrowed his eyes, suspicious of the Prince's motives. "Why?"

Endymion searched the floor, trying to come up with an acceptable reason. "Pride."

"What?" Kunzite questioned.

"As much as I hate to admit it, succeeding in this plan is personal as much as it is professional. This is my chance to prove myself, and I'd like to be given that chance," he finished, staring hard at Kunzite.

"Very well," Kunzite answered. "You will proceed…for now." Kunzite gave Endymion a final cold look, then exited the room.

Endymion audibly exhaled once Kunzite was out of site. He needed to move fast.

* * *

Sailor Moon walked to meet the rest of the Senshi in a daze. It was 1:00 in the morning, and she should be in bed! Unfortunately, Luna had decided at the last Senshi meeting that the team should be more proactive in their duties and start patrolling the city at least twice a week. So, Sailor Moon was on her way to begin her first patrol, grumbling all the way. Moon arrived at the park, and instantly spotted her friends.

"Morning, all" Sailor Moon grumbled.

"Oh, Usagi, grow up!" Luna scolded. "You are a Senshi, and this is your duty!"

"But, Luna! I'm tired!" she whined.

"We're all tired, Lame Brain!" Mars yelled. "Now let's get to work."

The girls scoured the city for the next two hours, encountering not one youma. "Alright, girls," Luna began. "Let's just check the dockyard, then we'll call it a night."

"Right," the five girls agreed.

When they reached the docks, the Senshi decided to split up to save time. Moon wandered to the end a long pier, kicking seashells and trash along the way. "What a waste of night!" she muttered to herself.

"Oh, I don't know about that."

Sailor Moon jumped, startled by Tuxedo Kamen's sudden appearance. "What do you want?" she asked, taking a fighting stance.

"Relax," he said, putting his hands up. "I'm not here to fight."

"Then what ARE you here for?" she demanded.

"Sailor Moon?" a voice called in the distance.

Realizing the Senshi were drawing near, Tuxedo Kamen decided it was a good time to make his exit. "Just get rid of the Senshi, and I'll explain," he promised her. "Meet me in the warehouse," he whispered before leaping away and disappearing into the night.

"There you are, Sailor Moon!" Jupiter exclaimed. "Well, it looks like the docks are all clear, so we can head home."

"You go ahead," Sailor Moon told her. "I need a moment to myself."

"Here?" Mars questioned. "Usagi, the docks aren't a safe place for a girl to be alone," she whispered worriedly.

Moon smiled at her concerned friend. "Ah, but you're forgetting, Sailor Mars, I am no ordinary girl. I am Sailor Moon," she smiled heroically. "I will be fine," she assured her. "You guys go home and get some sleep," she told the rest of the Senshi.

"Okay, Sailor Moon," Venus nodded, sensing they should back off.

Sailor Moon watched her Senshi retreat, her feet still planted at the end of the pier. She let out a long sigh once they were out of sight. She looked over the shoulder toward the harbor. The water glittered, the moons reflection shimmering on its choppy surface. Turning away from the water, and the gentle calm it brought, Sailor Moon began to make her way to the warehouse in the dockyard.

She surveyed the large building when she reached it. Its exterior was dull and worn, streaked with water and dirt. Several of the windows were broken, and she found herself wondering if the old building got much use these days. Sailor Moon crept through a heavy steel door, which had been left slightly ajar.

She peered around the large space. It was littered with large boxes, crates and other packing materials, but not much else. Her heels echoed on the concrete floor as she made her way to the center of the room. "Where the hell is he?" she whispered harshly. Could this be a trap? She suddenly realized how stupid she was for coming here alone.

Just then, Sailor Moon heard footsteps behind her. She spun around to see a dark form sauntering toward her.

"I wasn't sure you would come," Tuxedo Kamen smirked as he closed the distance between them.

"Well, you must admit," she began rolling her eyes, "this is not the most appealing place to meet."

He chuckled in response, "You've got me there."

Tuxedo Kamen was nearly an arms length away when Sailor Moon's hand flew up, signaling him to halt. "What do you want," she demanded coldly, her heart pounding in her ears.

"Just to…talk," he replied as he took off his top hat and tossed onto a nearby pile of soft packing material.

Sailor Moon straightened. She realized this was her chance. They were completely alone, and he was obviously interested. What he was precisely interested in, she couldn't be sure—they were playing the same game after all. But she new this was her best chance to seduce him…to have him under her power, have him begging for her. But most importantly, this was a time she needed to maintain full control—of both his emotions and her own.

"Really?" she asked coyly. "And just what would you like to talk about?" she asked, tilting her head and nibbling her bottom lip.

Tuxedo Kamen unconsciously bit his own lip in response. He took a step forward, leaving but a foot between them. "Let's cut the charade, Sailor Moon."

Her breath quickened. _'Oh no!' _she thought. _'He's on to me!" _Sailor Moon took a stepped closer to Tuxedo Kamen, closing the small gap between them. "Charade?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

Without saying a word, Tuxedo Kamen slowly brought a hand to his face. He then pulled off the thin white mask covering his eyes and let it flutter to the ground. Sailor Moon's breath caught. He was revealing himself to her? His enemy? Her eyes traveled upward and locked with his. His gaze was soft and mischievous at the same time, just like…_'Mamoru,' _Sailor Moon thought.

'_Oh god,' _she thought to herself _'I need to get a hold of myself!' _Silently reminding herself this was NOT the Mamoru she knew, Sailor Moon moved forward with her plan.

"You know, Tuxedo Kamen," she teased, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to seduce me."

"Moi?" he asked as he put a hand to his chest, pretending to be innocent.

"Well, I'd think twice about it if I were you," she cautioned him as she pressed herself gently against his chest.

His body filled with heat at her touch, and genuine desire began to well up within him. "Why is that?" he asked, his voice deep and seductive as his gloved fingers began to toy with the hem of her short skirt.

"I fear once you have a taste of me, no other woman will possibly compare," she purred, creeping her own gloved fingers up his chest, toward his collar.

Tuxedo Kamen stiffened slightly. He knew that they were playing a game—that she was just trying to get a rise out of him. But some part if him knew her statement was completely true. For a moment, he thought about ending this. He was in too deep and he was but an inch away from losing total control. Then he looked down at the girl pressed against him, her lips pink and parted and her eyes lustful.

"Ah, fuck it!" he grumbled as he dipped his head and took hold of her mouth.

Sailor Moon let out a small squeal in response, not prepared for the abrupt oral assault. Their lips met and fire exploded within them both. Tuxedo Kamen kissed her hard, pleading to delve into her mouth, until she parted her lips and obliged. Sailor Moon let out an audible moan, and Tuxedo Kamen kissed her even deeper.

Sailor Moon gripped at his collar as their mouths pushed and pulled at one another, not able to get enough of the feel of his lips against hers. Their kisses became softer and less rushed as Tuxedo Kamen began to focus his attention on the rest of her body. His hands slipped past her waist to grip hungrily at her backside. In a sudden move, he lifted her up by her rear, pulling her fully against him. Sailor Moon wrapped her legs around his waist in response, and she pushedher hips against him.

"Oh god," he panted, as he carried her toward the pile of packing material. He lowered her onto the material, and began to kiss her neck. Sailor Moon moaned again as he grabbed her breast. Tuxedo Kamen kissed her on the mouth once more, then paused. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen stared at each other for a moment, their chests rapidly rising and falling. They both knew where this was going, and they both knew a decision had to be made. How far were they going to take this?

Sailor Moon searched Tuxedo Kamen's eyes for the answer. She just needed to see some part of the man she knew in his gaze. Suddenly, her breath caught. There is was. It was just a flicker, but somewhere in there she saw him—Mamoru.

"Take off your clothes," she demanded, her mind made up. Whether she had really seen some semblance of Mamoru she could not be sure. It may have just been wishful thinking. But whoever this guy was on top of her, she wanted him bad!

Tuxedo Kamen peeled of his jacket and tossed it aside. He then pulled off his gloves before slowly starting to unbutton his shirt. She stared at his muscled chest through the open shirt with admiration. After removing her elbow-length gloves, she ran her hands up the warm skin of his torso. Her hands slipped under the fabric of his shirt, pushing it back over his shoulders and revealing his well-toned arms.

"Well, well, well. I see someone's been working out," Sailor Moon teased approvingly.

Tuxedo Kamen grinned devilishly and dove for the blonde, causing a seductive giggle to pour from her lips. He kissed her again, and gripped the top of her fuku. He paused but a moment, holding his breath as he pulled it down, baring her chest. As if by reflex, his head lowered and he began every part of her he could, evoking various sounds of pleasure from the heroine. He continue to pull the fuku down over her hips and thighs, until he'd completely removed it, and it was left discarded in a heap with his jacket and shirt.

He gazed down at her naked body, and he was filled with desire, and passion, and…and something else he could quite name. All he knew was that he'd never felt so amazing in all his life. Tuxedo Kamen removed the last of his clothing before lowering himself on top of her. He reveled in the feeling of their bare bodies pressed together. He kissed her deeply, almost lovingly before he buried himself inside of her.

Her back arched as he entered, a loud moan escaping her lips. The two moved together for several minutes, softly kissing and caressing all the while, until they both called out in release.

"Oh, Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen breathed.

"Oh, Mamoru!" Sailor Moon moaned.

Panting, Tuxedo Kamen propped himself up on his elbows above the girl. "Huh?" a mix of confusion and recognition briefly crossing his features. "Who is Mamoru?"

Sailor Moon stiffened beneath him. Had she really called him 'Mamoru?' She then let out a loud sigh and let her body go limp. Tuxedo Kamen gently rolled off of Sailor Moon, and looked her expectantly, awaiting an explanation.

"Well?" he prodded.

Sailor Moon rolled her eyes and pushed herself into a sitting position. "It's you, you baka! You are Mamoru!" she yelled in frustration.

Tuxedo sat up dramatically, feigning insult. "How many times have I told you not to call me baka, Odango Atama?"

They both froze. About twenty different emotions crossed Tuxedo Kamen's face, confusion being the most recurrent.

"Oh my god," Sailor Moon breathed. "Oh my god," she said again, touching his arm. "Mamoru?"

Tuxedo Kamen leapt up, suddenly angry that he did not understand what was going on here. He hurriedly gathered his clothing and began to clumsily put it on. "I-I don't know what's happening," he stammered. "I have no idea what you did to me, but I don't like it!" he hollered as he reapplied his mask.

"Wait," she pleaded, jumping to her feet. "I didn't do anything! Please! You need to remember," she begged.

"I—" he began, noting the sincere look in her eyes. "I have to go," he said before abruptly transporting back to the Negaverse.

Sailor Moon sank back to the ground, covering herself with her fuku. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "Mamoru," she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The silence seemed to echo throughout the abandoned warehouse. It's dark appearance and dank odor becoming more apparent to its teenage occupant. Sailor Moon sniffled as she stepped into her fuku, and she swiftly pulled it up over her body. She slid her arms into the sleeve-holes, then smoothed out the front of her outfit. She carefully straightened her hair, took a deep breath, and scanned her surroundings. She was alone.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" she screeched in anger. She then began violently kicking and throwing anything she could get her hands on. Cardboard boxes were booted into the darkness, packing materials were ripped to shreds, and, finally, with the last of her strength, Sailor Moon picked up a wooden crate and hurled against the wall. It exploded, shattering into several pieces.

She plopped down on the floor, panting and angrily wiping away a few tears that had formed. She had been so close! She was so close to getting him back and she blew it. She didn't even remember to hit him with the Moon Wand… And to top it off, she had given him her virginity! Sailor Moon let out a frustrated huff of hot breath, blowing the bangs out of her face.

"Well," she sighed to herself, "I will just have to try again next time…" That is, _'If there is a next time,' _she thought. After tonight's encounter, Tuxedo Kamen may want to avoid her completely. Only time would tell…

Sailor Moon got to her feet. There was nothing she could do about Tuxedo Kamen at the moment, so she might as well go home and get some sleep. Sailor Moon chuckled to herself at that thought, for she knew sleep would be hard to come by.

* * *

Tuxedo Kamen barreled down a long hallway toward his sleeping chamber. He nearly crashed through the door to get in, then slammed it behind him. He paced about the room madly, pulling of his jacket, cape, and mask as he did so.

Halting his march, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. _'What is happening to me?' _ he wondered. _'Did Sailor Moon place some sort of spell on me?' _Shaking his head, he let his hands dropto his side. For some reason, he highly doubted Sailor Moon had anything to do with this. Since leaving the warehouse, he felt like two different people, trapped in one body. He kept seeing memories…flashes of someone else's life. The strange thing was, many of those memories included Sailor Moon…Not just in her heroine form, but also in her human form. He kept seeing her face—lips pursed, eyes alit with annoyance. Her cheeks red as she half-heartedly scolded him…

"I'm so confused," he sighed as he sat down on the edge of his bed. He closed his eyes thinking of Sailor Moon. He could still feel her, smell her…They'd had sex tonight, but it was more than that. Tonight, he felt as though he'd connected with her on level he never knew was possible. He looked down sadly. He knew it was best to end their flirtatious and physical relationship—at least until he could figure out what was happening to him… He groaned, realizing that would be easier said then done as he envisioned her soft, supple—

"Endymion," Queen Beryl's voice purred from the doorway, and he jumped up in surprise.

"I'm sorry, my Queen," he breathed, "you startled me."

Queen Beryl smirked, "I seem to have that effect on people." She entered the room, running a long, red fingernail along the edge of his dresser as she walked. "Endymion," she continued, "I'm afraid I'm in need of your…services."

Endymion straightened, knowing she was not referring to work. "I see," he nodded. His stomach turned slightly at the thought of making love to someone besides Sailor Moon. She was right earlier in saying that no other woman would compare. With every second that passed he wanted her more—he wanted her and no one else.

"Yes," she spoke softly, placing her palms on his chest. "Please be in my bed chamber in 10 minutes," she ordered before turning to exit the room. "Don't be late," she called playfully over her shoulder.

Endymion could not give any indication of what he was experiencing, especially to Queen Beryl. He would just keep these new developments—his memory confusion and feelings for Sailor Moon—to himself for the time being. He exhaled noisily as he began his trek to the Queen's room. He had no choice but to sleep with her, but one could be sure that there was another certain someone he'd be imagining the whole time.

* * *

Usagi sat on the floor, legs crossed, absently braiding part of one of her long pigtails. The girls' voices murmured in the background, the content of their conversation lost to Usagi. Her mind, as always, was elsewhere. There had been three Negaverse attacks since that night in the warehouse, and Tuxedo Kamen hadn't made an appearance at any of them. Usagi feared she'd lost her only chance at getting him back.

That night played in her mind on a constant loop. The day after, she had felt angry that he'd taken her innocence and fled… but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she wasn't just a conquest to him. Even with her little experience of physical relationships, Usagi knew they had shared a truly intimate moment. At night, when she lay in bed, she recalls the feel of his lips on her skin, and she imagines him there with her. The memory of their encounter still making her skin tingle…

"And you've had no luck with Tuxedo Kamen, Usagi?" Ami's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Huh?" Usagi blushed, not fully understanding her question.

"You've had no luck with using the Moon Wand on Tuxedo Kamen?" She asked again.

"Oh, uh, no," she replied.

"Well, maybe we should approach this from a different angle," Minako suggested.

"What do you mean?" Rei asked.

"I don't know," she continued, "but maybe the Moon Wand alone isn't enough to turn him back. Maybe we need effect him on an emotional level as well. Maybe he has to _want _to be healed."

Usagi straightened, mouth slightly agape, surprised that one of the Senshi had finally come to the same conclusion she had.

"Hmmm," Ami pondered, straightening also. "You may have something there, Minako. What do you think, Usagi?"

Usagi looked at the girls, guilt churning in her stomach. She bit her lip, fidgeting in her seat.

"Usagi?" Minako probed, sensing there was something she was holding back.

"Well, to be honest," Usagi said, "I came to that conclusion a few weeks ago."

"Usagi?" Makoto scolded. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Yeah, Ditz!" Rei agreed. "If you'd shared that little thought with the rest of us, we may have been able to devise a plan!"

Usagi looked down at the ground, her discomfort apparent.

"Usagi…" Minako pushed, raising an eyebrow, "What did you do?"

Grumbling, Usagi sprawled herself out on the floor and huffed, "What I felt needed to be done!"

"And just what does that mean?" Ami asked worriedly.

With her hands covering her face as she spoke, utter humiliation creeping through her, Usagi blurted out, "I seduced Tuxedo Kamen to try to get him to come back to our side!"

"What?" all four girls screeched.

"Usagi," Makoto began, eyes wide, "when you say _seduced_, do you mean… Well do you mean…"

Usagi let out an embarrassed sob in response.

"Usagi!" Rei gasped, face red. "You didn't?"

"Usagi, I can't believe it!" Minako yelled. She then leaned in close to Usagi, and raising an eyebrow asked, "How was it?"

"Minako!" Rei scolded, slapping her on the back of the head.

"Ow!" she whined in response.

"Oh, I can't believe this! I just can't believe this!" Ami cried.

Annoyed by the dramatics, Usagi got to her feet and yelled, "Alright, everyone just CALM down!"

The four girls froze and stared at Usagi expectantly.

Usagi brought a hand to her temple in exasperation. "Yes, I did seduce Tuxedo Kamen, because I felt it's what needed to be done! And, yes, I did keep it from you all because I thought you'd try to talk me out it! And, yes, Makoto, I did sleep with him! And for your information, Minako, it was amazing! World-shaking, toe-curling-amazing!" she yelled, throwing her hands up.

Her fellow Senshi stared at her in response, mouths hanging open.

"Usagi," Minako giggled, "you vixen."

Usagi rolled her eyes. "What's done is done," she continued softly, "so there is no point in scolding or lecturing me. Let's just figure out where to go from here."

Makoto nodded, "You're right, Usagi. Alright ladies, let's start plotting."

The other girls nodded in response, and gathered around a table in the center of the room.

"Did it work?" Rei's voice suddenly broke in.

"Huh?" Usagi asked, turning toward her friend.

"Sleeping with him…did it work in turning him back to our side?" Rei clarified.

Usagi nodded slowly, "Kind of, a little."

"What do you mean?" Ami asked.

A small smile formed on Usagi's lips. "He called me Odango Atama."

Her friends smiled. "Well, that is something," Makoto agreed.

Minako sighed then, causing everyone to look in her direction. "Guys," she began cautiously, "I think Usagi should continue with her plan."

"What?" Rei asked, astonished. "Minako, you can't be serious!"

Minako turned to Usagi, the look in her eyes serious. "I think Usagi is the only one who can break away at Queen Beryl's spell," the Senshi of love concluded. "Only she can save him."

Usagi looked at Minako, eyes tearing, and Minako gave her a reassuring nod.

"I agree with Minako," Ami said softly, and the other girls turned to her in surprise. "We will do what ever we can to aid Usagi in this task."

Rei sighed, "Alright."

"I'm in," Makoto agreed.

"Thank you all," Usagi smiled, "but we have a slight problem. Tuxedo Kamen hasn't been present at the last few attacks."

"Just because you haven't seen him does not mean he has not been there," Ami said knowingly. "At the next attack, the four of us will handle the youma. You just focus on getting to Tuxedo Kamen, Usagi," she ordered.

"Ok," Usagi smiled. "Let's do it."

* * *

Tuxedo Kamen stood on the branch of a tall maple tree. He had just released a youma at the park, and it was only a matter of time before the Senshi showed up—before _she_ showed up. He'd had no direct contact with her since that night, but he watched her from afar at every battle. He'd stare longingly, taking in her every detail, from her long legs and curved hips, to her blue eyes and golden hair. As he watched her, he'd come to admire her drive and determination while she fought. She never backed down, never gave up. '_She really is something special,' _he mused.

"Hold it right there, Nega-creep!" Sailor Moon shouted at the monster, pulling Tuxedo Kamen out of his reverie.

The Senshi had arrived and quickly surrounded the youma. The girls immediately began throwing attacks, and the youma bit back at every chance it got. Tuxedo Kamen's brow furrowed as he watched Sailor Moon take a few steps back, away from the fight, and give one of the other Senshi a nod. She then turned and walked away.

"What the heck is she doing?" Tuxedo Kamen muttered to himself.

He stilled when he noticed Sailor Moon striding in his direction, carefully scanning her surroundings. Her pace slowed as she neared the maple tree where he resided, and Tuxedo Kamen held his breath. He studied her curiously as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A small smile formed on her lips, and her eyes shot open, fixing themselves on the tree.

"Are you going to hide up there all night?" she asked, voice teasing.

Tuxedo Kamen said nothing.

Sailor Moon rolled her eyes. "I know you're up there, you dufus! You might as well come down."

Tuxedo Kamen bit back a chuckle and leapt from the tree. Landing gently on the ground, he threw Sailor Moon a smirk. "How did you know where I was?"

"I felt you," she told him, their eyes locking.

Tuxedo Kamen straightened. "How?" he asked, a bit stunned.

"I don't know," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I just closed my eyes, thought of you, and it was like I was pulled to where you were."

He took in a sharp breath. "Have you always been able to do that?"

"No," she answered. "At least I don't think so. This was he first time I tried… Although, we've always been drawn to one another for some reason."

"Always?" he asked, confused.

Sailor Moon sighed. _'Damn memory loss!' _ she thought. "Yes," she replied, "always."

Tuxedo Kamen stared at the young woman in front of him, her beautiful face aglow in the moonlight. He wished he could touch her, take her in his arms…kiss her.

He cleared his throat and took a step back. "About the other night," he began, "I'm sorry—"

"You don't need to apologize," she cut him off. "I understand why you left."

"No, it's not that," he corrected her, and she frowned slightly. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I mean, it was fun and all, but that's all it was," he said, coldness in his voice.

"What?" Sailor Moon asked.

Tuxedo Kamen let out a cocky chuckle. "We're enemies, Sailor Moon. You didn't honestly think it was anything more? It's not like we'd have sex and then run away together," he rolled his eyes, and forced on a smug smile.

Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed. _'He's lying,' _she thought to herself. "Mmm-Hmm," she responded skeptically.

He faltered a bit at her response. He had expected her to cry or yell at him, but she seemed to see right through him. "I'm serious, Sailor Moon," he insisted. "You are my enemy. The only thing I want from you is the Silver Crystal. Nothing more."

Sailor Moon tilted her head, trying to figure out his motives for pushing her away. "So," she began, "I guess that means our…_physical_ relationship is over?"

"Yes," he answered. He tried to remain stone-faced, but his eyes betrayed him.

"Okay," Sailor Moon agreed, nodding slowly.

"Good," he replied, crossing his arms. Internally, he was a bit disappointed that she wasn't fighting for him.

"We will end whatever this is between us, and go back to being the strictest of enemies," she continued, "on one condition."

"Condition?" Tuxedo Kamen questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Sailor Moon smiled. "I want one last kiss. One kiss, and I will forget anything intimate ever happened between us, then we can go back to trying to kill each other."

He took another step back. "I really don't think that is a good idea. Let's just end this, cold turkey, and move on," he said seriously.

"I don't think I can do that," she replied, shaking her head stubbornly.

"Huh? Why not?" he asked nervously.

"Well, for one thing," Sailor Moon began, "I don't believe you want to end this at all."

Tuxedo Kamen straightened indignantly. "Of course I do! I just said that—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Moon cut him off, rolling her eyes. "I heard what you said, and I don't believe a word of it. So if you really want to end this, then prove it. Give me one last kiss and walk away. If you are able to do that, then I will know this is over."

Clearing his throat, Tuxedo Kamen said, "Ok. One kiss." _'I can do this,' _he told himself, as he prepared to give her a quick, chaste peck on the lips.

Tuxedo Kamen began to lean down slowly toward Sailor Moon, his hands at his sides. Just as their lips were about to touch, Sailor Moon gently grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him to her. Their mouths connected, and all the passion from their last encounter reignited. Tuxedo Kamen wrapped his arms around her, bringing her as close as possible. She snaked her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Sailor Moon let out a soft moan, and Tuxedo Kamen backed her up against the very tree he had been hiding in only minutes before. He kissed her deeper, his hands running over her body. He began to kiss her neck, and Sailor Moon whispered into his ear, "Make love to me."

Hearing her request, Tuxedo Kamen stiffened. _'What am I doing?' _he scolded himself. He pushed himself away from Sailor Moon, breathing heavy.

"What is it?" she asked, confused.

"We can't do this," he told her, shaking his head.

"Why?" she prodded. "I know you want to."

"What I want isn't important," he told her seriously. "Every being I work with wants that Silver Crystal and you dead. My peers wouldn't hesitate a minute in killing you to get to it. Every second we're together I am betraying my kind."

"THEY are not your kind!" she yelled at him. "We are! _I _am…why don't you remember?"

Tuxedo Kamen straightened. "You know something, don't you? What are you hiding from me?" he demanded.

"Tuxedo Kamen…Endymion…Mamoru. You are all the same person, and you are my ally. You always have been," she told him softly. Sailor Moon sighed and took his hand. "You were captured by the Negaverse five weeks ago. They brainwashed you. Altered you memories. They made you believe I was your enemy."

Tuxedo Kamen backed-up skeptically. "What? That's impossible," he said, shaking his head. "How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you're not lying?"

"You don't," she sighed. "But look into your heart, listen to what it tells you," she pleaded.

"I…I don't know what to believe," he shook his head, unable to process the things she was telling him. "I—I should go."

"Okay," Sailor Moon smiled sadly. "But think about what I've told you. Search within yourself, and hopefully you'll find the truth."

Tuxedo Kamen looked at her with a furrowed brow, but said nothing. He then disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

Kunzite watched from the shadows, a sinister sneer on his lips. Sailor Moon stood sadly, head bowed, as Tuxedo Kamen left her in the shadow of the maple trees.

"So Queen Beryl's spell is weakening?" Kunzite mused. "And that bastard Endymion is deceiving us all. I can't speak for the Queen, but I am done waiting on Endymion to complete this mission. I'm going to get that crystal—my way."

Kunzite laughed evilly as he watched Sailor Moon rejoin the Senshi, and finish off the youma. "Endymion's time has just run out," he whispered to himself. "I'm ending this tonight. Sailor Moon is mine."

* * *

Sailor Moon sighed with a combination of relief and disappointment. Relief, because another battle with a youma was said and done. Disappointment, because Tuxedo Kamen had, once again, retuned to the Negaverse. The sun had set hours ago, and Sailor moon wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and pass out for the next several hours. She briefly scanned her surroundings. After concluding she was alone, she de-transformed and continued her trek home.

A warm breeze blew, the summer air setting in, and the leaves made a slight rustling in the trees. Usagi's footsteps echoed on the concrete, her breathing audible in the silence. She rounded a corner and was greeted by her darkened home. After pulling a key out from under the welcome mat, Usagi unlocked the front door and entered the silent house. The ticking of a clock could be heard as she stood in the foyer, but no other noise penetrated the darkness. Usagi's family was away for the weekend. Declining their invitation to join them for a few days in the mountains, Usagi would have the house to herself until Tuesday.

Usagi made her way up to her bedroom, disregarding the light switch on her wall. The moonlight was spilling in through her open window, creating just enough light to see in the small space. Usagi peeled off her shirt and stepped out of her jeans, only to replace them with a white, lace trimmed camisole and shorts. She released her hair from its ponytails and ran a brush threw her long locks.

"Nice legs," a deep voice broke into the silence, and Usagi jumped and turned to face its owner.

Her breath immediately became quick and shallow as she locked eyes with Kunzite, lounging, legs crossed, on her bed.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" she demanded, a little disoriented by what was happening.

"I followed you here," he informed her nonchalantly, "from your battle at the park. You know," he continued, as Usagi remained still, "we are all quite tired of waiting on Endymion to complete his mission."

"Is that so?" Usagi asked, backing up cautiously. She quickly eyed the door, trying to inch closer to make an escape.

"Yes, it is," he answered. "His infatuation with you is not helping things along. Although," he said, eying her up and down, "I can see how he could get distracted. You are quite beautiful, and I might be tempted to take you for a turn if I had a taste for women. But luckily for you…"

"I wouldn't let you place a single finger on me," she spat angrily.

Kunzite laughed. "I may have not interest in you sexually, but you can be damn sure I will be placing much more than a mere finger on that body of yours," he growled.

Usagi leapt toward the door and ran into the hallway. Kunzite was instantly upon her, grabbing her long hair and pulling her backward. Usagi yelped in pain as she hit the floor. Kunzite hastily grabbed her by her arms and dragged her toward him. Usagi protested, kicking and screaming. Kunzite then growled and pulled her off the floor before slamming her into the wall.

"Stop struggling you little bitch," he spat at her prior to slapping her across the face. "You are coming with me whether you like it or not!"

"No!" she screamed in response, ferociously trying to push him away from her.

Kunzite then cocked his arm back and punched her, making hard contact with Usagi's chin. Usagi's vision began to blur and dizziness began to overtake her. Kunzite caught her as she started to fall to the floor. Throwing the blonde over his shoulder, he opened a portal to the Negaverse and disappeared inside it.

* * *

Usagi began to stir, cool air bringing out goose bumps on her skin. She groaned softly as a pounding sensation began to fill her head. She force her eyes open, the dim light causing her head to ache even more as it hit her pupils. She looked about the space, trying to make out her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she mused aloud. It was then that she noticed the weight on her arms. Her head shot upward to see her wrists cuffed and chained to the wall. Usagi shifted her weight to her legs, taking the pressure of her dangling body off of her arms.

"I see we're awake," Kunzite teased from where he sat in a large armchair in the corner of the dungeon.

"You piece of shit! When I get out of her I am going to incinerate you," Usagi barked angrily.

Kunzite laughed in response, unthreatened. "My dear, the only way you will be leaving this room is in a body bag. You are trapped," he informed her, matter-of-factly, "and I plan to slowly and painfully torture you for the next several hours."

Usagi stiffened, knowing this was no joke.

"Shall we get started?" Kunzite asked, rising to his feet.

Usagi backed herself as far a she could against the stone wall behind her, but she knew there was no escape. Her heart sped up as she watched Kunzite produce a ball of energy between his hands. He moved it teasingly from one hand to another, eying her like a predator.

"Now," he began calmly, "give me the Silver Crystal."

Usagi took a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare herself for the pain she was about to endure. "No," she replied softly, but resolute.

Without hesitation, Kunzite hurled the ball of energy toward the chained-up girl and hit her full on. Usagi stifled a scream as her body went rigid with pain. Kunzite held the attack for several seconds before letting go, and Usagi let out a slight sob.

"I'm not playing around, Princess!" he snarled. "Give me that crystal or I will tear you apart limb by limb!"

Usagi met Kunzite's eyes, determination and strength in her gaze. "Never!" she screamed angrily.

Kunzite threw an even stronger attack at the princess, growling as he released it from his hands. It hit Usagi and her vision went white with pain. She didn't even realize that the high pitched scream she heard echoing through her ears was her own. Kunzite held the attack for what felt like hours to Usagi, before he released her, panting. Usagi went completely limp, blackness over taking her. Kunzite sneered as he looked at her small form dangling from her chained wrists, eyes rolled back in her head.

* * *

Endymion lay in bed, restless from his earlier encounter with Sailor Moon. Could what she had told him be true? Was there a whole life, a whole relationship with her that had existed that he was completely unaware of? It seems implausible, but so did everything else about their world—Princes, princesses, super heroes, and magic crystals. Even he knew how ridiculous their existence seemed to the human world.

Tired of mulling over the details of his conversation with Sailor Moon for the night, Endymion closed his eyes in an attempt to get some rest. He exhaled a long breath and let his body go limp. Seconds later, his eyes shot open in alarm. Something stirred in inside him—something unsettling, yet familiar. He felt a strange pull deep within his chest, an urgency to get to something…No—not something. Some_one. _

Just then, a piercing scream rang threw the corridor outside his bedroom, and Endymion bolted to his feet. The sound of screaming was nothing new in the Negaverse palace, but this scream was different. It was _her, _and he knew it without a doubt. He could feel her fear, her pain…he could feel the racing of her heart. The feeling was terrifying yet comforting at the same time, like it was something he'd been missing.

Endymion ran into the hallway, hoping to find some clue as to her location. Seeing nothing or no one, Endymion closed his eyes. Holding himself as still as possible, he thought of Sailor Moon. His eyes popped open. He felt her and, not waiting a second, he ran in her direction.

* * *

Kunzite unlocked the shackles on Usagi's wrists, letting her unconscious body fall to the floor. He kicked her where she lay for good measure. Usagi began to cough and moan in response, before slowly rolling onto her back. Her eyes fluttered open to find Kunzite's blurred figure looming over her. She clumsily pushed herself into a sitting position and began to scramble backwards. Kunzite started to move toward her and, with what little strength she had, Usagi pulled the energy from within herself and hurled at her attacker.

Kunzite was blasted back a few feet and fell onto his back. He quickly got to his feet and focused on Usagi. "You bitch. Now you're really going to get it," he threatened as he stalked toward her.

Just then there was a bang on the door, and Kunzite stopped in his tracks. The loud bang was then followed by another bang, and another, as Kunzite stared at the door trying to determine the cause for the ruckus. Seconds later, the door flew open, revealing an enraged Prince Endymion.

"Endymion!" Usagi cried from her position on the floor.

Endymion peered around Kunzite's shoulder to find a barely clothed blonde. "Sailor Moon?"

Usagi nodded fiercely.

Endymion turned his attention back to the general. "Kunzite, what the fuck do you think you are doing?" he demanded.

"What you don't have the balls to do," he snarled back. "I'm not as blind as the Queen, Endymion. I saw you with Sailor Moon. Traitor."

Endymion straightened. So Kunzite had figured him out? Endymion was faced with a decision, and one that had to be made quickly: try to convince Kunzite of his innocence, or get Sailor Moon to safety. Endymion looked again at the girl sitting on the floor, her blues eyes pleading, and he chose the latter.

Endymion threw a large blast at Kunzite throwing against the wall and knocking him unconscious. Usagi fumbled to her feet and ran toward the prince.

"Endymion," she breathed.

He didn't take the time for formal greetings as he instantly grabbed her and transported them back to the location from which she had been taken. Within seconds, they were in Usagi's bedroom, and Usagi dropped to the floor in relief.

"Oh, thank god," she breathed, her body still throbbing from the night's earlier torture.

"Where are we, Sailor Moon?" Endymion asked, scanning his surroundings.

"Usagi," she corrected him as she got to her feet. "My name is Usagi."

"Usagi," he replied softly, nodding.

"And we are in my bedroom," she finally answered.

"Your bedroom," he smirked as he picked up a pink stuffed bunny.

"Yes!" she replied defensively, snatching the stuffed animal from his hand.

He caught her wrist as she did so, and he inspected the red marks that now adorned them. "I felt you," he whispered before meeting her gaze. "I felt your fear, your heartbeat…I had to find you."

She touched his lips softly and smiled. "You found me."

Endymion pulled her toward him and captured her lips with his. Usagi fell into him willingly, burying her hands in his hair. They kissed again and again, deeper and deeper, their kisses more important than the air itself. Usagi pulled away slowly and made her way to the bed, lying herself atop its cool cotton sheets. Endymion watched her as she moved, and he began to pull of his cape and armor. Naked, Endymion climbed onto the bed and on top of her. She was all he wanted, all he needed, and he was going to take as much of her as he could.

Endymion pulled off the flimsy material of her shorts and camisole and tossed them to floor. He pressed his bare body against hers, reveling in the feeling he'd been craving for over a week. He hungrily kissed her breasts, trailing down her stomach to his destination between her legs. Usagi cried out, arching her back in response. When they were both satisfied, he returned to her waiting lips before plunging himself inside of her. He made love to her, tenderly, as they both panted and moaned with pleasure. Their pace quickened as they reached climax until they both cried out in ecstasy. At that moment, golden light filled the room, causing a warm sensation to fill the pair.

The light faded, and after his eyes adjusted, Endymion looked at Usagi. "What was…" he began to ask, before his sentence was lost to him. He stared at Usagi—hard.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Your forehead," he whispered, bringing a finger to gently caress the skin of her forehead.

"What do you mean?" she asked again, confused.

"There's a moon on your forehead," he informed her, and she sat up slowly in response.

"It's my mark," she whispered back.

"Your mark? What do you mean?" he questioned.

"It's my mark as the Moon Princess—as Serenity."

"Serenity…" he breathed. Hearing her name brought forth so many emotions. Queen Beryl had spoke often of the Moon Princess, but she had never said her name. Endymion knew that name.

"Endymion," Usagi began, taking his face in her hands, "I am Serenity, the Moon Princess. I am _your_ princess. We are meant to be together. I wasn't lying when I told you that Queen Beryl had brainwashed you. She made you forget me…every piece of me: Sailor Moon, Usagi, and Serenity."

Endymion held her gaze, furrowing his brow. "Everything is just so confusing right now."

"I know," Usagi responded in understanding. "It's okay," she assured him before kissing him gently. "But I want you to know…that I love you."

Endymion straightened, feeling as if he had never heard those words before…from anyone. "You do?"

Usagi smiled and nodded. "I love you as Endymion, as Tuxedo Kamen, and as Mamoru. God help me, I even love you when you're supposed to be evil!" she joked.

Endymion kissed her again. "I love you, too." Usagi hugged him tightly in response, and them Endymion took her firmly by the shoulders. "And it's because I love you that I have to return to the Negaverse."

"What?" Usagi asked, not believing her ears. "Why?"

"Because from there I can protect you. From there I can end this," he told her.

"No! Absolutely not!" she protested. "They will be waiting for you when you return. They'll kill you!" she cried.

"I can take care of myself," he told her arrogantly.

"Don't be stupid, Endymion," she scolded. "If you are going back, then I am going with you."

"No, you are not," he commanded. "I will be back for you by the end of the day. Just leave things to me."

"You're crazy! You can't expect me to sit back and –" he cut off her ranting with a firm but gentle kiss.

"This discussion is over," Endymion said softly. "I love you," he told her before disappearing into a portal back to the Negaverse.

"Endymion!" Usagi scream, tears filling her eyes. If he survived this, she was going to kill him!

* * *

Endymion's portal took back to the hallway just outside of his bed chamber. He hurriedly entered the room only to be greeted by Kunzite's waiting form. Endymion froze and took a fighting stance.

"The Queen is waiting for you," Kunzite sneered, then threw a large blast of energy toward Endymion. He was instantly knocked unconscious and Kunzite laughed in response. He then grabbed Endymion by the ankles and began to drag him toward the queen's throne room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Usagi paced about her bedroom, the morning sun beginning to stream across the pale pink carpet that covered her floor. She twisted and pulled at the fuzzy, white bathrobe she was wearing, as she walked about anxiously.

"I cannot believe him!" she grumbled to herself, for what had to be the hundredth time.

After Endymion had left her—again—Usagi had wracked her brain trying to figure out a way to get to the Negaverse. After about an hour, and coming to the realization that she had no way to transport herself there, she took a hot shower in the hopes that it would relax her. Needless to say, it did not. Her stomach knotted thinking of Endymion and the probable danger he faced. She was certain Kunzite would be waiting for him. She was also certain Kunzite would make Endy pay for his betrayal. And then there was Queen Beryl…

Even though Usagi had some memory of the Queen from her past life, she really knew very little about this woman. More concerning, she had no idea how strong she was—what she was fully capable of. She obviously had power. She controlled Kunzite and the other generals along with the youma they released. She also had the power to completely wipe away Mamoru's memory and turn him against her, but at least that spell was weakening. Maybe Queen Beryl wasn't as powerful as she thought she was…

Usagi looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. 7:00 am. She sighed and decided she'd waited long enough. She grabbed her communicator off of her dresser and called the Senshi.

"Usagi?" Rei asked, drowsy and surprised. "What is it?"

"Sorry for the early morning wake-up call, Ladies, especially on a Saturday, but we need to meet. As soon as possible," she commanded.

The four girls responded with an immediate "Right!" and Usagi instructed them to come to her house. After throwing on a comfortable pair of sweat pants and a tank top, Usagi made her way down to the kitchen, pulling out some muffins for when the girls arrived.

She waited in the kitchen in silence, and the reality of her situation began to set in. Usagi felt that familiar gnawing in her stomach. It was the same gnawing she had felt when Mamoru had first been taken. Even more so now than then, she felt as though she may not see him again… Tears began to sting her eyes and Usagi was about to release the sob she'd been holding in, when there was a knock at the door. Swallowing her cries, Usagi took a deep breath and went to the door.

She opened it to find Rei and Minako standing on the other side. "Hey," Minako panted, tired from her run to the house. "Makoto and Ami should be right behind us."

"Great," Usagi replied. "Come on in, and help yourself to some muffins," she smiled politely.

Rei eyed Usagi cautiously, knowing something had happened. Something was off.

"We're here!" Makoto called as she and Ami came into the foyer. "What happened?" she asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

Usagi filled them in on the previous night's events –with some editing for decency's sake—and on Endymion's return to the Negaverse to "protect her."

"What an idiot!" Rei yelled angrily.

"My thoughts exactly," Usagi agreed, now red-faced with renewed fury.

"He's going to walk right into their waiting hands," Ami added, shaking her head.

"I wanted to go with him, but he didn't give me the chance…I know he's not strong enough to face Queen Beryl alone," Usagi said sadly.

"We may still have the upper hand, though, Usagi," Makoto chimed in.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you still have the Silver Crystal," she clarified. "Maybe they won't harm him for that reason. They may want to negotiate a trade."

"Makoto, your right!" Usagi breathed, filled with new hope.

"Don't be so hasty, Usagi," Minako told her, concern in her voice. "They could use Mamoru as leverage. They could set up a trap, expecting you to come for him."

"Minako is right," Ami agreed. "Usagi, you mustn't respond to any negotiation tactics if someone from the Negaverse comes to you."

"What?" Usagi asked, shocked and angry. "You want me to just sit here while they torture and probably kill him?" she pleaded, tears in her eyes.

"No, Usagi," Ami continued. "That's not what I'm saying. But I do suggest if we go after him, it is on _our _terms."

"Ami?" Rei asked curiously.

"I think I've found a way for us to transport to the Negaverse," she replied, and the other four girls gasped in response.

"How?" Makoto probed.

"I think if we combine our powers, we can transport as a unit to almost anywhere," she concluded.

"Ami is right," Luna agreed, entering the kitchen. "You can use the Sailor Teleport to get to the Negaverse, but all five of you are needed to complete the transport."

"Sailor Teleport?" Minako questioned. "How come we've never been told of this power before?"

"Because we've never needed to use it before," Luna answered simply.

"Okay," Usagi nodded. "We go there, together—on our terms. And we go tonight, at sundown," she commanded.

"We're in," Rei replied instantly. "We'll meet back her just before sunset, then we go."

The rest of the Senshi nodded. This was going to end tonight.

* * *

Kunzite threw open the heavy doors of Queen Beryl's throne room and entered, dragging the unconscious Prince Endymion behind him.

"Your prince, my Queen," he sneered dropping Endymion at her feet.

"Thank you, Kunzite," she replied sullenly. "You have served me well. Prince Endymion played us all. I would not have expected that Moon-twit able to weaken my spell so quickly."

"She is a nuisance to us all," Kunzite agreed, growling slightly.

"You are right about that," the queen nodded, "but no matter. I will rectify this situation. You focus on getting that dreadful princess here so I can teach her a lesson myself."

"As you wish, my Queen," he responded, bowing.

The Queen smiled, evilly eying the unconscious prince at her feet. "Leave Endymion to me," she finished, cackling.

* * *

Usagi sat on the edge of her bed, already transformed into her alter ego, Sailor Moon. The rest of the Senshi would not arrive for another hour, but she was so anxious that she had decided to transform nearly 20 minutes ago. A heavy silence filled the room, weighing on her, along with the weight of their impending mission. Sailor Moon let out a sigh, only to be startled when it came out as a shaky whimper. It was then that she noticed the rapid pace of her heart. She couldn't recall a time she'd been this nervous. Usagi suddenly laughed to herself, cutting the silence. _'Screw nerves,' _she thought to herself, _'I'm absolutely terrified.' _

"Usagi, you've got to relax," Luna spoke softly.

"That's easier said than done, Luna," Usagi smiled.

The small black cat padded over to her charge, sitting delicately at her feet. "Usagi…Princess. You will get Mamoru back. I have complete faith in you," she began, sincerely. "You've grown so much…sometimes, when I look at you, I don't even recognize the girl I first met so many months ago."

"Luna, please," Sailor Moon stopped her, beginning to feel choked-up. "You almost sound like you're saying goodbye."

"Of course not!" Luna responded, standing to emphasize her point. "I believe in you, Usagi, but…I'm scared for you. I remember Queen Beryl's power. I know this won't be easy, and I just…I just want you to be careful," the feline finished, with all of the care and concern of a mother.

"Luna," Sailor Moon cried softly, scooping the cat in her arms for a hug. "I will be careful," she assured her. "Now," she continued, setting her down, "go down stairs and wait for the girls. I need a moment to myself."

"Okay," Luna nodded before exiting the room.

Once Luna was out of sight, Usagi adjusted her gloves and checked her boots, as if looking put-together would somehow increase her strength and power. Increase her chances… She smiled slightly to herself, for she knew it would not.

"Primping and preening as usual, are we, Sailor Moon?" Kunzite mocked.

Usagi froze in response, before slowly turning to finding him standing in the doorway to her bedroom, nonchalantly leaning against the frame.

"Back to kidnap and torture me?" Sailor Moon asked, crossing her arms and trying to come off as calm.

"Well, that's half true," he smiled evilly. "We want to propose a trade."

"A trade?" Usagi asked flatly, trying to hide her excitement. _'Makoto was right!_' she thought hopefully._ 'Maybe Endymion is okay…"_

"Yes," Kunzite continued, "We know how much Endymion means to you, Princess. We will return him, unharmed, in exchange for the Silver Crystal."

Moon let out a slow, shaky breath. She knew she wasn't supposed to negotiate without the Senshi present, but this could be her only chance to get her prince back. She had no intentions of giving up her crystal, but she'd play along for now. She had to get to Endymion.

"Okay," she responded. "The crystal for Endymion—but I want to see him first. I want to be sure he is okay before we make any sort of deal."

Kunzite grunted, rolling his eyes. "I figured as much. Well," he continued, dusting off the non-existent dust from the front of his uniform, "let's go."

With that, he grabbed Sailor Moon by the arm and pulled her into a portal to the Negaverse.

* * *

The four Senshi made their way cautiously up the front walkway to the Tsukino home, making an effort not to draw attention to themselves. Mars eyed her surroundings carefully, on the look out for any snooping neighbors or passers-by. Giving a nod that the coast was clear, Sailor Mars and the other Senshi entered the house.

"Usagi?" called Sailor Jupiter.

Hearing no answer, Jupiter turned to Sailor Venus. She responded with a shrug of her shoulders before calling, "Usagi?" once again.

"She's in her room," Luna chimed in after entering the foyer. "She's been waiting for you."

"Let's look upstairs," Sailor Mercury commanded.

The four girls made their way up to the second floor only to find it vacant. Sailor Mars looked around Usagi's room, inspecting every detail. "There's no sign of a struggle," she concluded. "It doesn't appear that she has been taken."

"Then where is she?" Sailor Jupiter questioned.

Mercury also scanned the room, looking for clues. Her roaming gaze halted when she noticed a mark on Usagi's floor.

"What is it?" Sailor Mars asked.

Mercury dropped to one knee and examined the carpet. "It's a foot print," she answered. "It appears to be the print of a men's boot…"

Venus sighed, "Oh, Usagi…"

"What?" Jupiter asked. "I don't understand."

"That boot print looks just like the prints I have seen left by the Negaverse generals," Sailor Venus clarified.

"She went with one on them," Mercury said sadly, bringing a hand to her mouth. "And she went alone…"

"No!" Luna exclaimed in disbelief. "She wouldn't! She couldn't…she promised…"

Sailor Mars clenched her fists. "That baka!" she grumbled angrily, trying to conceal her fear. _'Usagi,' _she thought to herself, _'what have you done?'_

The four girls and the small cat stared dumbly at the faded footprint on the pale pink carpet. Their unease was palpable. They had no way of getting to their princess… All they could do now is wait.

* * *

Sailor Moon stumbled upon exiting the warp hole into the Negaverse.

"Watch your step," Kunzite mocked. "Humans don't adjust very well after teleporting."

Sailor Moon straightened indignantly. "I'm fine," she grumbled. "Now, where is Endymion?"

"He is with the Queen," he responded coolly. "She has instructed me to bring you to her, but I just can't pass up the opportunity to inflict a little pain upon that delicate body of yours."

"Believe me, Kunzite, there is nothing delicate about me," she responding, gritting her teeth.

Anger was building within her. Kunzite was playing her right now, she had neither the time nor the patience to humor him. She had to get to Endymion, and this asshole was nothing but a speed bump. She was NOT going to have a repeat of their last encounter. This time, she was going to be the one inflicting the pain.

"Well," he laughed evilly, "we'll see about that."

"I'm warning you, Kunzite," she responded, eerily calm. "I will kill you if I need to."

Kunzite laughed out loud. "_You_ kill _me_? That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard."

"Don't be stupid, Kunzite," she warned, "I had no problem taking care of your friend, Zoicite."

"How dare you…" Kunzite snarled. "Forget Queen Beryl's orders, I'm going to destroy you myself—right here and now."

Kunzite lunged forward, throwing a right then a left hook at Sailor Moon. Moon dodged both hits and kicked Kunzite forcefully in the stomach. Kunzite lurched forward a moment, before regaining his composure and throwing a ball of dark energy at Sailor Moon. The attack hit her directly, and Sailor Moon was thrown backward before landing facedown on the floor.

"Screw this," she growled, pushing herself to her feet. Sailor Moon closed her eyes and concentrated hard, trying to pull the energy from within her. The Silver Crystal was a part of her, but she wasn't quite sure how to control it yet. "Please," she whispered, "help me."

Sailor Moon felt heat begin to fill her core, and her eyes shot open. "Goodbye, Kunzite," she said softly, before releasing a massive blast of energy in the general's direction.

Kunzite didn't even have time to react as the attack hit him, instantly turning him to dust. Sailor Moon looked down at his ashen remains with pity. It gave her no joy to kill him, but she did what needed to be done. She needed to get to her Endymion. She needed to get to Mamoru…

With a sigh, Sailor Moon moved down the long hallway in front of her to continue the search for her prince.

* * *

Queen Beryl sat still as ice on her black granite throne. The throne room was vacant and ghostly quiet. The queen stared blankly ahead, the rage and determination within her betraying her calm exterior. She was so close to having everything she wanted. Yet, that princess still stood in her way. She still threatened to take away everything she has worked for, longed for over the past thousand years. Was her happiness not as important as Serenity's? Did she not deserve to have her dreams come true as well, no matter how evil they may be perceived?

The Queen exhaled a long, steady breath. "I will succeed," she told herself, "even if I have to destroy every other being in this universe in order to do so."

Beryl was suddenly jolted from her thoughts by a loud banging on the throne room doors. The queen gripped the arms of her large chair. "It looks like I have company," she snarled, awaiting her visitor's entrance.

* * *

Sailor Moon trekked down yet another hallway in the Negaverse place, the last four leading to neither to Endymion nor the queen. Sailor Moon staggered a bit as she moved down this fifth passageway, the energy drain from her attack on Kunzite becoming more apparent as she moved. Dizziness began to overtake her, but she pushed past it, determined to find the prince. Her walk came to a halt as she came upon two large wooden doors. The doors were grander and unlike anything else she had seen since arriving at the palace, and Sailor Moon believed they might lead somewhere important.

Sailor Moon paused in front of the doors and took deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of strength. She placed a gloved hand on the doorknob and turned it. However, the door did not budge. She turned it again and again, shaking it violently to no avail. The fact that the doors were locked only further convinced Sailor Moon that she needed to get inside.

Sailor Moon placed her hands on her hips and eyed the doors up and down, assessing the situation. "Well," she concluded, "I guess I'm going to have to resort to brute force." She took another deep breath and lunged at the doors, hitting them forcefully with her shoulder. She hit the doors over and over, pain stinging her shoulder, but she refused to stop. Suddenly, Sailor Moon heard a loud crack, and with one more hit, the doors flew open.

Sailor Moon stumbled through the entrance into a large room. She looked around curiously, rubbing her already sore shoulder. "What is this?" she questioned aloud.

"Welcome, Sailor Moon," Queen Beryl's voice echoed through the large space. "This meeting has been a long time coming," she continued standing from her chair at the head of the room, "but I must say, I am underwhelmed."

Sailor Moon straightened, now fully aware that she had walked right into the lion's den. "Queen Beryl, I presume?" she greeted her, looking her opponent up and down.

"That's right," the queen replied, smiling coolly. "Welcome to my kingdom. I hope you enjoy it, as this will be your last visit to this or any other place."

"Death threats so soon?" Moon asked, raising an eyebrow. "So nice to see we are not wasting time on civility."

The queen chuckled slightly in response. "I take it by your solo entrance into my throne room that you have disposed of Kunzite?"

"Yes."

"Pity," Beryl replied, mildly thoughtful. "He was quite useful to me."

"You know why I'm here, Beryl," Sailor Moon began. "Where is Endymion?"

"Sailor Moon," his voce called softly.

Sailor Moon whirled around to see Prince Endymion standing on the opposite end of the throne room. "Endymion!" she exclaimed as she ran toward him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she cried, "Oh God! I thought you were dead."

She had barely finished her sentence when Endymion took hold of her shoulders and roughly threw her to the ground.

"Endymion?" she questioned from the ground, horrified.

"Prepare to meet your end, Princess," he sneered.

"What?" she asked. "This can't be…"

"You are going to give me that crystal, Princess," he snarled. "Unless you'd like me to take it by force? I'd have no problem ripping it out from within your chest."

"But—but I don't understand," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "You told me you loved me."

Both Endymion and Beryl laughed in unison, mocking Sailor Moon's pain. "Don't be stupid, Sailor Moon. There is only one woman I could ever love," he told her, looking loyally to Queen Beryl.

"That's right, Princess. Endymion is now utterly and completely mine," Beryl taunted. "You may have begun to penetrate my last spell, but this new spell I have cast is twice as powerful. He will never betray me now," she smiled triumphantly.

"Your power means nothing!" Sailor Moon bit back, rising to her feet. "And you are nothing!"

She then turned back to Endymion, and grabbed his hands urgently. "Please, Endymion! You love me. Leave with me now!" she pleaded before kissing him desperately, hoping her love for him would pass through their contact and break away at this new spell. '_Hey, it's worked in fairy tales, hasn't it?' _she thought to herself as she poured all of her emotion into the kiss. Sailor Moon pulled away and looked into Endymion's eyes. "Mamoru?" she whispered, hoping some part of the man she knew and loved would hear her.

Endymion looked into Sailor Moon's eyes hard, studying her. Sailor Moon let out a sigh of relief, feeling as though he saw her—really saw her. However, not a moment later, Endymion raised his hand and forcefully struck her in the face. Sailor Moon let out a surprised and painful cry.

"Endymion?" she asked, shocked, as she rubbed her cheek.

Endy didn't even bother to respond as he moved toward Sailor Moon and hit her again, this time in the stomach. Moon doubled over in pain, the wind knock out of her. _'This can't be happening,' _she thought to herself, her head spinning. Endymion grabbed Sailor Moon by the arm, dragging her to her feet, and then released a blast of energy into her core, throwing her across the room.

Sailor Moon's body hit the ground with a hard _thud_. She rolled over slowly, letting out a pained groan. She used what felt like all of her strength to push herself into a sitting position. However, she froze in her struggle when she noticed a pair of black leather boots advancing toward her. Her eyes traveled up the body that resided in those boots, and came to rest on the hard stare of the evil Prince Endymion.

The Prince loomed over her ominously, a cold sneer on his lips. Sailor Moon's heart began to race. She needed to fight back, run even, but her strength was gone. She could barely move.

"Finish her, Endymion!" Beryl commanded from her throne. She smiled evilly, reveling in the demise of Sailor Moon. The demise of Serenity.

Endymion grabbed Sailor Moon forcefully by her arms, and yanked her to her feet once again. Sailor Moon let out a frightened cry, and Endymion touched her face softly.

"Shhh," he whispered, his eyes empty and unfeeling. "It will all be over soon."

"Endymion, please," she whimpered.

The Prince promptly released Sailor Moon's arms only to replace them with a firm grip on her neck. She began to struggle, scratching desperately at his forearms, but Endymion only squeezed harder.

"Please stop," she croaked, eyes bulging.

Queen Beryl cackled madly as she watched.

Endymion removed one hand from her neck, and pulled out the dagger from his belt. Light reflected off its metal blade, and Sailor Moon's eyes shot toward the weapon. Her face creased in pain and sadness. This was it—she was going to die. She was going to be killed by the only man she'd ever loved. Her eyes began to well up with panicked tears.

"Endymion…" she forced out. Slow, steady tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Mamoru," she cried, just above a whisper.

Prince Endymion raised the dagger in his hand, and Sailor Moon's breath caught in her throat. However, instead of plunging the knife into Moon, he unexpectedly turned and hurled the dagger toward the queen. It hit her square in the chest, and Queen Beryl screamed in pain.

"Endymion!" Beryl moaned painfully. "How could you? You are under my power?"

"It's like Sailor Moon said…your power means nothing," he snarled back, disdain in his voice.

"No! Noooo!" the queen wailed as she dropped to her knees.

Sailor Moon dropped to the floor, holding her neck and coughing violently. Endymion looked down at her and his brow furrowed with guilt. "Are you okay?" he asked as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Sailor Moon met his gaze, pain and confusion apparent on her face. "I don't understand. I thought you were brainwashed again…"

Endy gave her a crooked smile. "Beryl tried, but she could erase you this time. I wouldn't let her," he told her, brushing the hair from her face. "I was able to resist the spell, but I had to convince her I was on her side," he told her, guilt taking over his features once again. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't want to."

Sailor Moon shook her head, "I don't care," she cried. "I'm just happy you're alright," she told him before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I do love you," he whispered softly in her ear.

"Isn't this sweet!" Queen Beryl screeched from where she lay at the foot of her throne. "If you think a mere dagger is enough to defeat me, my dear Endymion, you are even dumber than I thought!" she growled, and the room began to shake violently.

"What's happening?" Sailor Moon cried, fear in her voice.

"I don't know," Endymion replied, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders.

This black smoke began to spill into the room, swirling violently around the queen. The wind howled and the ground continued to rumble as Sailor Moon and Prince Endymion watched Queen Beryl begin to transform. The darkness filled her, empowering her, and she began to slowly rise to her feet.

Endymion stood, pulling Sailor Moon to her feet with him. He took her by the shoulders and looked at her seriously. "You need to fight her."

"I—I…" Sailor Moon stuttered. She knew he was right, but she was scared out of her wits.

"You can do this," he assured her, "but…"

"But what?" she asked worriedly.

"I think the only way to beat her is with the Silver Crystal."

Sailor Moon shook. She was no fool. She knew that, in coming to this place and facing Queen Beryl, she would need to use every weapon in her arsenal…including the Silver Crystal. Her power over the crystal was still so erratic, though. What if she couldn't control when she really needed to… "I know," she told Endymion.

Sailor Moon stepped away from the prince, preparing to summon the crystal. Her hair whipped around her ferociously as the dark power continued to swirl around the room. Sailor Moon looked back at Endymion, and he gave her a reassuring nod. _'It's now or never,' _she told herself and she closed her eyes.

Sailor Moon searched within herself, pulling every memory, every emotion she could muster. She thought of the Moon Kingdom, of her mother. She thought of all they had lost at the hands of the woman standing directly in front her. She thought of her Senshi, her friends—of how they fought and died for her… of how they supported her everyday. Finally, she thought of Endymion. He was her prince, her true love. He was her greatest companion and ultimate sparring partner. Mamoru…

Bright white light began to suddenly pulsate from the small blonde girl standing in the middle of the darkened throne room. The light enveloped her, twisting and twirling, filling her with strength and courage. The light faded, leaving a renewed Princess Serenity, the crescent moon on her forehead shining brightly.

"Serenity," Endymion breathed.

Seeing the Princess, Queen Beryl rose to her feet. "We will fight, Serenity!" she howled. "To the death!" she proclaimed just before hurling a powerful attack at the princess.

"To the death," the princess whispered to herself, as she pulled her first strike from within.

It sprung from her body, a bright white orb, and collided with the queen's attack. The two balls of energy connected and canceled one another out, dissipating into the air. Not hesitating a moment, the queen threw another attack, and so did the princess. They threw one strike after another, one blow partially hitting the queen, and another knocking the princess off her feet. The battle continued, refusing to let up, and Serenity began to falter. Her arms burned, her chest heaved, and the dizziness was unrelenting. Queen Beryl threw yet another ball of energy and Serenity stumbled backward.

"I don't think I can fight anymore!" she cried to Endymion. "I'm too weak. I can't defeat her."

"You can!" he commanded, refusing to let her give up. "WE can!" he declared, grabbing her hand tightly.

As their hands connected, a light formed between Serenity and Endymion, becoming brighter and bigger with each passing moment. Endymion locked eyes with his princess, and her eyes began to tear with understanding—he was giving her his power.

"Endymion," she nearly whispered, and he nodded in support.

"Even with that waste-of-a-pawn's power, you will never be able to defeat me!" Queen Beryl roared, hurling a ball of energy directly at the princess, breaking her contact with the prince, and sending her soaring.

Serenity flew threw through the air, propelling away from Endymion at an incredible speed. The prince looked on in wide-eyed terror, his hand outstretch, as she fluttered across the room, her long hair and silk dress whipping wildly around her. He watched in slow motion as she fell to the ground, her body crumpling as it hit the marble floor.

Endymion wanted to scream, call out her name, but his breath was gone. The wind was knocked out of him by the sight of his love falling.

"Ser…Ser…" was all he managed as Queen Beryl laughed maniacally in the background.

Endymion stumbled toward Serenity's limp form. He dropped to his knees when he reached her and hovered his hands over her body, afraid that if he touched her, he'd break her even more. He gently brushed his fingertips across her lips. They were dry and parted, and he felt her soft, hot breath emitting from within.

Serenity gasped suddenly, and Endymion jumped in surprise. "Serenity?" he called softly. The prince cupped her small face in his hands, studying her hopefully. "Serenity, can you hear me?"

Her eyes flickered open, and her gaze fixed on Endymion instantly. "Endy?"

"Serenity, can you move? Are you in pain?" he asked frantically.

"Shh," she quieted him. She took in a long breath, and she felt warmth and light fill her, radiating through each limb, each fingertip. She felt…powerful.

Something had changed. When Queen Beryl's last attack had hit the princess, it did not harm her. In fact, it did quite the opposite. Serenity absorbed the hit, taking on that power as her own. She felt strong, and at that moment, she knew she would win this battle.

Rising to her feet, Serenity locked her eyes on Queen Beryl. This fight had been too hard for too long, and she was ready for it to be over. Seeing the intensity in the Princess's gaze, the queen took a cautious step back.

Breathing deeply, Serenity called out the words she knew would end this war. "Moon Crystal Power!"

Massive amounts of energy and white light poured from the Princess, filling every space within a hundred yards. Endymion, too, was covered in the light, and he dropped to his knees as he felt the warmth and love emitting from it. Queen Beryl screamed out in pain and defeat before vanishing into the light. Queen Beryl was gone.

The light faded, and Serenity dropped to her knees panting. Her princess form faded within moments, leaving an exhausted Sailor Moon on the floor of the grand throne room. She pushed herself to her feet and rose to a standing position, only to collapse back to the ground seconds later.

Prince Endymion watched the struggling girl from a few yards away, sudden realization creeping over his features. "Odango?"

Sailor Moon froze, a surge of energy shooting through her with that one word. She turned toward the man beside her, afraid to speak. "Ma—Mamoru?" she nearly croaked, her throat suddenly dry.

"Usagi," he breathed in response.

Sailor Moon crawled toward him, as that was all her strength would allow, and she grabbed his hand. "Mamoru?" she cried softly. "Is it really you?"

"I've been so lost," he told her, nearly crying himself. "I—I'm sorry I couldn't remember."

"Mamoru!" she cried again happily, as she threw her arms around his neck.

A loud rumbling broke apart their happy reunion, and Usagi and Mamoru scanned the room in horror as the floor began to quake and the walls began to crumble.

"With the destruction of Queen Beryl comes the destruction of her kingdom," Mamoru quickly discerned. "We need to get out of here. Now!" he commanded urgently.

"But, I can't transport without the rest of the Senshi," Sailor Moon replied in a panic.

"Well, they're not here, so it's up to us. We'll pull our powers together and transport out of here," he told Sailor Moon, taking her hand.

Sailor Moon nearly bawled at the notion. "But I've used all my power! I'm completely drained."

Mamoru studied her. She looked absolutely ragged, and given less urgent circumstances, he's sure she would've passed out by now. "Then I will get us back," he assured her.

Mamoru wrapped his arms around the blonde and prayed to whatever gods may exist above that he was still able to use the power Queen Beryl had given him. Concentrating with all of his might, Mamoru focused and threw his energy forward.

Within seconds, a black portal appeared, and Mamoru let out a sigh of relief. "Let's go," he told Sailor Moon as he scooped her into his arms and entered the portal.

* * *

Mamoru and Sailor Moon crashed to the ground with a soft _thud, _the plush grass softening their impact. Mamoru looked around and quickly realized they were in the park.

"Oh thank god!" Sailor Moon sighed, falling back onto the grassy lawn.

"We're home," Mamoru said softly, feeling as if he'd just awoken from an impossibly long dream.

Sailor Moon pushed herself into a sitting position, and she studied the man next to her. She'd spent the last month and a half trying to get to this person sitting only a foot away from her. The question now was: Now what?

"Mamoru?" she called softly, touching his arm.

He turned and met her gaze slowly. "Yes?"

"How do you feel?" she asked dumbly, not sure where to start.

"Dazed," he chuckled.

Sailor Moon smiled awkwardly in response. "Mamoru?"

"Yes?"

"Do you…" she began nervously, "well, do you remember anything from the last six weeks?"

Mamoru swallowed hard, before meeting her eyes again. "Everything," he told her and his eyes darkened at the memory of the two of them together. Realizing where Mamoru's train of thought was going, Sailor Moon's cheeks were painted with a fierce blush. He pulled her closer to him and held her hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't remember… But somehow, I still knew you. I knew I should be with you."

"And now?" she probed further. "Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes," he replied simply, looking away from her, and her heart sank a bit.

"But?" she asked.

He gave her a crooked smile, impressed by her perceptiveness. "It's just so much to digest. I think I just need a couple of days."

"Okay," she smiled softly.

Mamoru touched Sailor Moon's cheek gently. "You should go home and get some rest."

"I won't argue with that. I feel like I've been hit by a truck," she joked, but still aware of the awkward air between them. "Plus, the girls are probably frantic. I should check in with my Senshi."

"Okay, I'll walk you home," he began.

"No, that's okay," she assured him. "My house is only a block away, and we should both get home. The sun is about to rise, and we don't need any early morning joggers to stumble upon to broken and battered super heroes in the middle of the park," she teased again, trying to keep the mood light.

"Okay," he nodded hesitantly. "I'll call you soon."

"Okay," she smiled back.

Sailor Moon turned to walk away, when Mamoru suddenly caught her by the wrist. Her head whipped toward him to find his gaze fixed on her, brows furrowed in thought. "You never gave up on me, did you?" he breathed, appreciation and awe in his tone.

Sailor Moon felt her lip tremble slightly as she shook her head. "No," she whispered. The intensity of the past few weeks was quickly setting in, and Sailor Moon was in no state to cope with the flood of emotions she was feeling. She smirked in an attempt to ease the tension. "How could I get by with my favorite sparring partner? Rei just doesn't have he same bite in her insults, and I figured my days would be incredibly dull without you to bicker with," she teased.

Mamoru chuckled before giving her an understanding nod.

"Goodbye, Mamoru."

"Goodbye, Usagi."

And with that, the pair went their separate ways.

* * *

Usagi sat pounding away at the buttons on the _Sailor V_ game. It had been three days, and she still had not heard from Mamoru. Granted, there was a lot of information to be processed on his part, but Usagi did not fancy all of this waiting! What if it was all too much for him? What if he decided he didn't want to be with her? Distracted by her thoughts of a handsome 19-year-old, Usagi made a misstep in her game. She groaned loudly as the words "Game Over" appeared on the screen.

"Damn it!" she swore to herself.

"You know, language like that could get you kicked out of here," a smoky voice teased from behind her.

Usagi spun on her stool to find the very man she'd been thinking of standing before her. She slowly rose to her feet, surprise apparent on her face. "Mamoru," she breathed.

Mamoru peered over her shoulder at the Sailor V game and rose an eyebrow. "Although, I would be pretty frustrated, too, with a score like that. Not very impressive," he finished, crossing his arms.

Usagi peeked at the game again, and then looked back at Mamoru, annoyance automatically building within her. "Not very impressive?" she pouted. "I'd like to see you get a score like that!" she finished, gesturing dramatically to the video game screen.

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "I could easily get that score, especially if I wasted most of my time and money playing that game like you did," he smirked.

"You know what, buddy," she fumed. "You need to get off that high horse of your and try to have a little fu—"

Her tirade was cut off as Mamoru swiftly pulled her toward him and locked his lips upon hers. Usagi instantly melted and returned every bit of the kiss, enjoying how great it felt to kiss him with no threat or urgency. She was finally kissing him as Mamoru, and no one else. Usagi let out a soft sigh as Mamoru wound his hands into the long ponytails cascading down her back. The sound of her voice and feel of her lips created a warmth in the pit of his stomach, and he wanted nothing more than to pounce on her, right then and there.

"Ma-Mamoru?" a stunned Motoki stuttered from beside the couple.

Usagi and Mamoru broke their kiss and faced the arcade manager, who was standing wide-eyed, his mouth agape.

Mamoru cleared his throat, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Oh, uh, hey Motoki."

"Hey?" he asked, eyes still wide. "I haven't seen or heard from you in over a month, and now you appear without so much as a phone call? Not to mention, you happen to be making out with your archenemy!"

"Yeah, guys! Get a room!" Minako giggled from the booth she and the girls were sitting in a few feet away.

"Minako!" Usagi wailed, blushing.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Mamoru fumbled to explain to Motoki. "I'm so sorry, buddy. I had to leave town unexpectedly for a family emergency. Things were really crazy, and I honestly didn't have access to a phone," he partially lied. "And as for this," he said gesturing between Usagi and himself, "let's just say, it's been a long time coming," he finished smiling at the girl beside him. Usagi smiled brightly back.

"Oh…" Motoki responded, still trying to process what he had been told.

"Now, if you'll excuse us," Mamoru continued, "we have some serious catching up to do." And with that, Mamoru scooped up his Odango Atama and threw her over his shoulder in one swift motion.

The girls rose to their feet as Mamoru made his way toward the exit. "Wait!" Makoto called. "Where are you taking her?"

Mamoru turned to face their friends and shouted back, "To my apartment!" He then gave the group a mischievous wink before playfully patting Usagi on the backside.

Mamoru then made his way through the automatic doors, as Usagi waved from over his shoulder calling, "Bye guys!"

"Unbelievable," Rei remarked, shaking her head.

"No, it's not unbelievable," Minako sighed romantically. "Things are exactly as they should be."

The four girls stood smiling as they watched the automatic doors close behind the young couple. Yes, everything was perfect.

**The End**


End file.
